


Merge

by EvenescentTranquility



Series: One Piece AUs (The First Set) [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, F/M, M/M, Magic-Users, Multi, Reverse Harem, Witch Coven, coven magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-09-26 00:29:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9853802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvenescentTranquility/pseuds/EvenescentTranquility
Summary: A One Piece Modern/Magic AUThe all girls school for witches Paradise Prep, and the all boys school for warlocks New World Conservatory are combining to form the Grand Line Academy. And you're about to lead your Coven of friends into a whole new territory, good luck!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story will have likely have a reverse harem pairing though technically the pairing isn't set yet.
> 
> One Piece belongs to Oda, but this story belongs to me :)

“Will you wake up already!” the loud voice in your ear had you practically jumping out of your skin, as you rolled out of bed and immediately assumed a defensive position placing yourself between the bed and the wall and blinking around blearily trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

“(Name) will you hurry up! We’re going to be late,” the familiar voice scolded and you relaxed from your defensive position and eased up, stretching languidly before turning to your room mate and one of your closest friends since you’d both started at this academy five years ago.

“What are you so worked up for Nami? You’ve never minded being late before?” you asked rubbing sleep from your eyes then performing a double take, “And what the hell are you so dressed up for?”

It was true she’d dressed nicely today. She was wearing a nice pair of dark wash jeans that sat low on her hips and a belly bearing tank that was different shades of blue, reminding you of ocean waves, with frilly white lace straps. Her long red hair was held back in a loose bun with one shorter stand left out to frame her face. She had golden hoops in her ears and was wearing a thick belt around her hips and had a navy blue choker band around her neck. 

Your school was one that didn’t require a uniform, and so generally students wore whatever was most comfortable for them. It helped that this particular school was an all girls school, and thus most, including yourself and Nami normally ran around in ratty jeans, sweats, yoga pants, and t-shirts or tanks unless you felt like dressing up for whatever reason.

“Don’t tell me you forgot!” Nami demanded incredulously, “(Name!) Seriously today’s the day! The day we’re going over to join with the New World Conservatory! The boys school? Remember? We’re doing a permanent merger? We’ve only been talking about this for months! We even sent over most of our stuff last night!”

“Oh right that,” you replied absently. To be honest it had slipped your mind for a moment, though she was right it shouldn’t have. Ever since headmistress Tsuru had announced your school Paradise Prep would be merging with the all boys school New World Conservatory and becoming the Grand Line Academy, the entire school had been in an uproar.

Some like Caime and Hancock had been thrilled at the idea of getting to potentially spend more time with their love interests, while others like Perona and Cindry complained that boys were un-cute and cause all sorts of drama.

You didn’t really care one way or another, just hoping the transition would be smooth and you’d find some interesting sparring partners. You see neither your school nor theirs were for ordinary people. Everyone in the school had some sort of special ability, you called yourselves witches and the men warlocks, but it was a pretty broad term.

Sure everyone could do basics like, small jinxes, hexes, charms, protections and potions, but everyone also had something else, a talent unique to themselves. For instance, Nami was a weather witch, able to control the weather and conjure massive storms at will.

“(Name!) stop spacing out and get ready already! We have twenty minutes before we’re supposed to be down in the hall ready to go!” Nami shouted breaking you out of your thoughts and emphasizing her point with the smallest of shocks to your rear.

You jumped and glared at her for a moment before giving up and getting ready. Luckily all you really had to do was brush your teeth and hair, then put on the clothes you’d picked with the rest of the girls in your circle last night. They consisted of dark wash tight skinny jeans and black over the knee boots, with a form fitting black tank top, and several layer necklaces.

Finished you strapped your daggers into place at your wrists pulling on gold arm guards over them to hide them from view and hiding a few in your boots, placing the final one between your breasts. Turning to the door you prepared to leave only to be shoved into a chair by the exasperated Nami who was wielding her make-up case like a lethal weapon, a crazed glint in her eyes.

Knowing there was no point in fighting you let her do as she pleased. She added a deep red color to your lips and used eyeliner and mascara to try to draw attention to your exotically shaped eyes and vividly pink irises. She huffed in satisfaction apparently deeming you ready and put her kit back into her purse. Then proceeded to yank your unruly black curls into a high ponytail, and adding to small gem studded hair sticks which could double as senbon if need be.

You stuffed the last of your things in your backpack, and the two of you headed out down the hallway. On your way down to the ground floor you were joined by the rest of your group Vivi the blue haired empath, Nami’s sister Nojiko who had a gift with plants, Robin the calm, dark haired history enthusiast who could sprout extra limbs at will, Koala her hand to hand and hex specialist, Caimie the green haired mermaid, Alvida the slippery brunette, Kaya the blonde healer and Perona the pink haired ghost girl.

All of them were dressed to impress, knowing that the coming merger would bring them in direct contact with a lot of potentially powerful and dangerous people, the kind they’d like to make allies of. Thus dressing up, because a first impression was always important.

At the bottom of the stairs your group joined the queue of girls ages to eighteen to twenty-five who were waiting for the portals. Taking one last look around the hall you did your best to memorize its comforting and familiar architecture. You had a lot of memories of this place, both good and bad, but honestly mostly good. You’d miss it, but you understood the reason for the merger.

The population of Magicals was booming as of late, and the old schools, for both boys and girls, no longer had room, especially since they were boarding schools that only let out for summer. Thus it was decided the older set should move into a new coed campus that had been built especially for them.

It was probably a good move, though you’d miss some of the younger girls you’d mentored over the years, it would be fun to have more exposure to men outside of the summer time and the few male teachers you’d had. 

Unfortunately you also knew that the number of warlocks to witches was greatly skewed in their favor. It made a lot of your fellow witches nervous about the merger, wondering how the men would react to your presence. You weren’t too worried, you had your friends and you’d protect them if needed and vice versa.

See the thing about witches was you tended to form covens. Covens were a special sort of group that were blood bonded together in such a way that it was nearly impossible to betray one another. It was a special kind of sisterhood that was completely and utterly permanent once entered into, which is why such decisions weren’t made lightly.

In fact witches weren’t allowed to form or join Covens until they were at least eighteen years old. This was to give the younger witches time to bond and get to know one another, and during the early years you were allowed to form less powerful temporary Covens to test what it would be like. This was to protect witches from being taken advantage of, and keep them from jumping into something they’d be stuck in for the rest of their lives. 

To form a Coven you had to have at least three members, blood bonded together. Your group had actually started much larger than usual, with Nami, Nojiko, Robin, Kaya, and Koala all part of your original Coven with the others coming along later. 

The blood bond was created by making a potion that was actually very simple, and adding each person’s blood to it. The potion was then used as ink to tattoo the symbol of your Coven somewhere on your body, the same place on every Witch in the Coven. The first Witch marked was generally considered the Coven leader and all the others generally deferred to and gravitated towards her.

You had gone with a traditional spot, the inside of the right wrist. The symbol you’d chosen was an intricate Celtic knot with open ends on both sides, so that when your right wrists were held together they formed a sort of unbroken circle. This made it easy to add members in as well. 

This was done in the same way as the Coven was formed with a slightly different potion, though every Witch in the Coven had to provide blood for the potion otherwise the bond wouldn’t take. This was done to ensure that no Coven member was taken in without the approval and acceptance of the rest of the witches involved, which helped keep harmony in the group.

The only times a witch was allowed to leave a Coven were, if they married someone outside the warlocks or witches allied to their Coven, if it was proven they were being abused emotionally or physically, or if their Coven merged with another. There was one small exception to these three rules, but it involved betrayal and was so taboo no one spoke of it nowadays. Any witch who committed such an act was immediately hunted by every other witch in the world and killed because Covens were sacred.

This was because Coven members could draw power from one another in times of need, and could amplify power through one another as well. For example when you were able to tag team with Nami between the two of you, you had five times your normal power and so did she.

Thus it was in your best interests to form covens and the stronger the members the stronger the coven. However you were of the belief that one didn’t have to start out strong to become strong. You were in the words of a certain green spandex wearing anime character a big believer in “geniuses of hard work”, though you tried to be welcoming to everyone you saw potential in.

You believed that anyone could be strong if they just had the drive to do so, which made your coven very different from others in the school, mainly your rival Boa Hancock who believed those with lesser power and beauty were beneath her. The two of you respected each other; you just didn’t share beliefs, which was why you could stand to be allies even if you’d probably try to rip each other’s throats out if you were coven members.

It was your belief that it was the duty of all Coven members to be as strong as they were able, but also to contribute to the growth and success of their fellow Coven members. After all how could you safely share power if you couldn’t work together in the everyday? This belief is what had brought your Coven together, starting with Nami and flowing out from there.

You had a tendency to mother people and want to take them under wing and see them grow, which surprised most everyone. This was because in general witches and warlocks tended to have attitudes that matched their powers. Nami was a perfect example of this, her temper as volatile and unpredictable as the weather and outgoing and brash as a thunderstorm.

You on the other hand were very nurturing, though you could be aggressive when need be, you generally were very laidback despite having what most would term extremely volatile powers that were mostly offense based. A lot of the school thought you were a bit odd, but you shrugged off their concerns, not really caring for the opinions of anyone outside your Coven.

Your arrival at the front of the line to the portal forced you to focus back on the present, and you quickly stepped into the intricate design on the floor, checking to make sure all your Coven were present within the circle you bit down on your thumb to draw blood and allowed a small drop to fall, activating it and sending you off to your new home.

It took a moment for your stomach to settle from the abrupt travel, for some reason magical travel was always a bit nausea inducing. Then carefully ushered your Coven out of the circle of the portal so others could use it before glancing around.

The new school was a true work of modern magical miracles. It was set in its own pocket dimension, which was an area that was copied off of the Earth and moved to its own plane of existence. Using the combined power and ideas of the greatest magical minds of the age, they’d actually managed to copy over one hundred square miles of area from different parts of the Earth and piece it together to give all sorts of different climates.

All sorts of creatures and plants both magical and non had been imported into the dimension to supply the school with food, potions ingredients, and fighting opportunities. The only way into and out of the dimension were through portals that were located on one end of the dimension, while the school was located on the other end, to help deter any potential attacks.

The biome around the portal where you’d come in was fairly temperate, but you’d been told that each separate area that had been copied also had its own weather systems and patterns, which reflected the areas they’d been copied from. For example if a piece of the dimension had been created from the African Sahara, and it was dry season in the original version, it would also be dry season here.

It was truly fascinating to you, and you and your Coven had, had a serious discussion about maybe creating your own someday as a safe haven and home base for your Coven members, but that was a long way off from now. For now you just admired the scenery, though you could see Robin and Nami both taking mental notes about what they were seeing as you boarded the carriages drawn by Skeletal horses.

Luckily the carriage didn’t have a visible roof so you were able to watch the scenery easily. Around you, you could hear the other groups chatting both about the new school and about the Warlocks you’d be meeting soon. 

 

Thanks to the luck of the draw the Warlocks had been allowed to move in first. They’d arrived yesterday and had, had the night and morning to settle in. In the carriage next to you, you could hear Boa complaining that they better not have taken the best rooms or she would be forced to make them move for her.

You rolled your eyes at her arrogance, though you knew they probably would move if Boa was the one to ask. She was an exceptionally strong enchantress, and could make weak willed men cater to her every whim with just a look. A lot of her Coven actually were more like followers for that very reason. 

You weren’t too worried about having enough space. After all it had been decided ahead of time that Covens could share rooms, and between the ten of you, you had covered how to add and expand rooms in a home, which was essentially adding on much smaller versions of pocket dimensions.

You had taken the time to pick out and purchase all the furniture and appliances you’d need to furnish a decent sized apartment by pooling your funds. Nami had almost had a heart attack when she saw how much money you’d have to spend by the end of it, but you convinced her in the end that it was a worthwhile investment.

After all if you took good care of it, there was no reason not to take it with you when you finished school, and using it to furnish the Coven home. While she had been convinced, it still didn’t stop a tear from escaping now and then as she was forced to part with it, or her insistence on spending it very carefully.

That last part at least you hadn’t minded and had even agreed with. The group of you had, had a lot of fun working to find deals and furnishings that suited your tastes for both private bedrooms and shared spaces. You were actually hoping to get everyone their own bedroom, a luxury you hadn’t been allowed at Paradise Prep due to the lack of space.

You’d been forbidden from using expansion spells and enchantments there because there was only so much expanding a single building could take. Luckily you’d had the foresight to check with Headmistress Tsuru who’d easily agreed to allow the use of such things in the new school dorms.

Even if she hadn’t approved you probably still wouldn’t have worried or complained the way Boa was because the reason you were moving in the first place was lack of space, you would hope that the ones who’d been in charge of building this place had taken that into account when they built it.

You just listened to the chatter of your friends, as they speculated about what the Warlocks would be like, and how the new professors would be. After all in combining the Warlock’s upper tier students with the Witches upper tier students they’d also had to combine the upper tier’s professors, plus for the first time ever, some new professors had been brought in.

You’d heard rumors that certain Magic specialists were being brought it, and you were actually pretty excited to see if the rumors were true. If they were a certain Warlock whom you’d long admired would be one of your new professors.

Even as you listened you kept a close eye on your surroundings. You didn’t know the lay of the land here, like you did for your old school, and you didn’t want to get lost. Plus the professors and Headmistress Tsuru had warned you that because this school was only for upper tier Witches and Warlocks, some of the beasts and plants they’d brought in were extremely dangerous and aggressive. The kind they wouldn’t have risked anywhere near young ones just starting out.

You could definitely see movement in the trees at the edge of the road you were following, and once in a while you’d catch a glimpse of fur or scale, but nothing actually attacked. Likely because there were more than a hundred people in your group and you were moving pretty fast.

Still the thought that they might kept you on your guard, constantly scanning your surroundings. As such you were one of the first to spot your new school. A soft whistle of appreciation escaped your lips as you stared up at the monumental structure peaking through the trees, immediately capturing the attention of your Coven, who went quiet and turned to see what you were whistling at.

As you slowly moved around the bend and further into view you admired the structure. What you’d first thought was a single building was actually three, set into a C-shape with the biggest building, which you assumed was the actual school, at the center. The buildings were actually set into the beginnings of a mountain range, which had likely been created by first carving into the mountains that formed the valley and then building out for there.

Looking closer you could see terraces and openings carved into the rock face that separated the three buildings, leading you to believe they were actually connected, probably by indoor tunnels. Towers and spires sprouted from the rock face in several places that created good lookout posts, and would doubtless be used to study astrology and observe specialized night time rituals. In the highest tower at the very center above the school building there was an enormous golden bell, which would likely signal the beginning and end of classes.

 

Greenery spilled down the rock face between the buildings from the terraces, with ivy and other creeping vines decorating the surface. Fountains and small gardens, along with an enormous lawn sat in the open space between the buildings, along with the road, which formed a loop branching off in two directions at the beginning of the open space and meeting back up in front of the school building.

The buildings to the left and right of the center one, were longer and lower than it was, and based on what she’d heard of the building plans she would bet one was the dormitory building and the other the stables. Both were enormous and the one could easily house the group that had come from Paradise Prep several times over.

“Well they certainly pulled out all the stops,” Koala commented casually, the first to break the silence in their carriage as excited chatter started up in all the carriages as they began the final approach towards the buildings.

“I heard they spent over half a billion on this place,” Kaya told them wonderingly, as she took in the scenery.

“Six hundred twenty-seven million, nine hundred eighty-three thousand, four hundred, fifty-one dollars to be exact,” Nami informed them with a shudder at the idea of spending that much money, completely oblivious to the amused and slightly concerned stares she was getting from her fellow Coven members for actually knowing something like that.

“It’s really very pretty,” Caimie added cheerfully, “It looks like it will be nice at least.”

“It certainly is well fortified, hopefully it will be enough to keep us from being ambushed by the wild beasts we passed in the woods, though I didn’t actually see anything stopping them from entering the actual grounds though. Having a demon or a dragon rampage through while we’re sleeping and off guard wouldn’t be fun. We’d probably die,” Robin put in thoughtfully.

“Robin could you please not say such un-cute things!” Perona begged anxiously, glancing back at the forest they’d exited from and the mountains behind the school nervously.

“Don’t be such a wimp Perona,” Alvida grunted bracing her arm against the side of the carriage and leaning her cheek into her palm, “A dragon attack might be fun. It would certainly liven things up at any rate.”

“I’m not a wimp Alvida!” Perona protested immediately, puffing up indignantly, “It’s just that being set on fire by Demons is so not a cute look for me!”

“Come on guys,” Vivi cut in before Alvida could retort, “I’m sure we’re not going to be attacked at random on school grounds unless it’s part of a test, no doubt there are enchantments in place to keep things like Dragons and Demons out without specific permissions from the new Headmaster Sengoku.”

“And even if we are attacked, that’s why we studied those protective enchantments remember?” you added casually, “The ones we’re planning on adding to our new rooms today?”

The group nodded or murmured their agreement. You’d put a lot of thought into the enchantments for your rooms that would be powered by your Coven’s magic. Along with the standard ones to protect against things like fire, natural disasters, and pests, you’d also researched a few specifically because of the fact that you knew the dorms would be Co-ed.

Several were to protect any windows and doors against tampering, and others would keep out any intruders. You hoped this would help protect you against everything from those seeking to harm your group to stupid albeit harmless pranks that you knew were bound to happen in a Co-ed dorm.

“Well, looks like they’re rolling out the red carpet and sending out the welcoming committee,” Nojiko murmured pointing to the building to the left of the School building, the one you were now headed towards. Glancing at it you could see she was right. Several people looked to be making their way out of the building and forming a decent sized crowd.

“Guess this is where it starts then Ladies, here’s hoping for a good year,” you stuck your fist out, wrist up bearing the Coven tattoo you all had on your right wrists.

“To wealth in all forms,” Nami immediately piped in placing her closed fist against yours.

“To knowledge,” Robin added, her hand joining yours.

“To acceptance,” Koala put in seriously.

“To growth,” Nojiko responded.

“To health,” Kaya said firmly.

“To new friends,” Caimie cheered.

“To excitement,” Alvida prayed fervently.

“To peace,” Vivi countered amused.

“To cute boys!” Perona chirped happily pointedly ignoring the deadpan looks she got from the rest of the Coven.

“To the Coven,” you finished with a smile.

“To the Coven,” they echoed together.

The magic built between the ten of you echoing and reverberating down the Coven bond and sending your blood singing, as your wishes and the blessing hummed powerfully around your group before settling like a warm blanket around your shoulders. It was going to be a good year, you could feel it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Special thanks to my beta (who's also my sister) for always reading my stuff first and letting me bounce ideas off you. You rock!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One Piece belongs to Oda but this story belongs to me :)

“They’re here!” 

The words echoed up and down the halls and suddenly the previously empty space was filled with people, men ages eighteen to twenty-five, all rushing down to the front lawn hoping to catch a glimpse of the new arrivals.

Marco heaved a sigh as he was tugged along by his friend Thatch, knowing by now that resistance was completely futile in the face of the man’s excitement, “I don’t know what everyone’s so excited about, we’ll be spending the rest of the year with them. There will be plenty of chances to ogle ~yoi.”

“Don’t be such a fun sucker Marco,” Thatch scolded as they arrived on the lawn and he began elbowing his way through the mob towards the drive, which was by consensus being left empty to give the Witches room. Any protests at their shoving their way to the front were quickly silenced as they saw who it was who was doing the shoving. The perks of being some of the more powerful Warlocks in the school were numerable, along with being the adopted sons of Whitebeard, who was rumored to be the most powerful Warlock in the world.

“This is a good opportunity to see what our new fellow students will be like, and a good chance to call dibs on the pretty ones too, right Ace?” Thatch prompted, nudging their friend who’d apparently been saving a space for them.

“Eh, I’m more interested to see if there’s anyone strong, fighting the same people day after day gets boring after a while, plus this will also be an awesome pranking opportunity,” Ace replied with a wicked grin that was quickly echoed by Thatch.

“Got that right!” Haruta joined in rubbing his hands together excitedly, “Fresh new victims with absolutely no idea what to expect or who to blame.”

“Just so you know, when you accidently piss off the wrong Witch I’m not bailing you out,” Izo informed them with a haughty sniff, carefully straightening his kimono and patting his hair, which was somehow still immaculate despite shoving his way through the crowd to join them.

“Seconded,” Jozu rumbled from his place behind them. Being seven feet tall and broad, he had easily cleared a path to them, and was now standing at their backs a bored expression on his face.

“You guys are no fun,” Thatch whined with a pout that went completely ignored by his friends.

“Look here they come!” Someone in the crowd shouted, as the first carriage came to a stop in front of the dorm building, interrupting their conversation.

A strange hush fell over the crowd as the first Witch stepped out from the carriage, and if he was honest with himself Marco could kind of understand why. She was beautiful, extraordinarily so, with long pin straight black hair, ocean blue eyes and a killer figure. She was dressed in a form fitting purple dress with a slit all the way up her leg that if it were even a couple inches higher would be flashing her panties at them. Any attraction he might have felt for her though, was ruined by the snooty look on her face as she sneered around at all of them.

“Whoa, who pissed in her Cheerios this morning?” Ace muttered under his breath, making Marco snort in amusement.

Unfortunately it seemed most of his fellow Warlocks didn’t share their opinion, as jeers, catcalls, and all sorts of propositions were called out to her. He sighed in exasperation, this was not going to end well.

The Witch struck a pose finger pointed at them dramatically, back bowed and head tilted so far back she was staring straight up. It looked ridiculous and more than a little painful.

“What the hell is she doing?” Haruta asked baffled.

“Beats me,” Jozu grunted with a shrug.

Their answer came in the form of the girls in the carriage behind the first witch screeching, “Look! Hancock-sama is looking so far down on them she’s looking up!”

“Is that what that is?” Izo sneered in distaste, “how arrogant.”

“You!” the woman, whose name was apparently Hancock exclaimed, her voice just as arrogant as her pose, “You disgusting craven fools! How dare you speak such crude thoughts aloud to a person such as myself! A lesson! Melo-Melo!”

A strange pink beam emerged from her fingers and swept through the crowd, who had nowhere to dodge thanks to being packed in like sardines. Several of the quicker ones including Jozu put up physical shields or tried dropping to the ground but in the end everyone was hit. Marco lifted a brow as he realized absolutely nothing had happened to him or any of his friends, though a good chunk of the other Warlocks had been turned to stone.

“Was it a faulty spell?” Thatch asked curiously glancing around them, as some of the still unfrozen ones began to shout, either in anger or in fear.

“No,” Izo informed them with distaste, “That was an Enchantress spell, it turns those who are extremely attracted to the one casting the spell. Though admittedly this one was very strong. My guess was it caught the weak-willed ones as well, everyone under a certain power level.”

“Impressive,” Jozu murmured quietly, “To be able to use that strong a spell on a crowd this size.”

“Rude!” Izo countered folding his arms in annoyance.

“That too,” the easy going Jozu admitted with a shrug.

“Really Boa, was that necessary,” an annoyed female voice asked loudly, cutting through the hubbub. Apparently while they were distracted by the first Witch and the show she’d put on more had arrived.

“Of course it was (name). These Warlocks should know their place,” the Hancock woman replied with a toss of the hair, glaring at the newcomer.

She was a couple inches taller than Hancock, though it was hard to say what height the two of them actually were as both were wearing heels. She had long dark hair as well, but hers was a mass of curls and waves pulled out of her face into a practical high ponytail.

Her clothing was also more practical for working and fighting in, jeans and a tank, though the tank did leave her belly bare, showing off a nicely trim waist below her generous cleavage, and the beginnings of her hip bones. Her jeans were also skin-tight, giving a nice view of long shapely legs, and from the looks of her hips a nice ass to match. Her eyes were a startlingly vivid shade of pink, and slightly catlike in their shape, and her lips were nice and plump painted a vivid shade of red that drew the eye.

“Tch,” the newly dubbed (name) scoffed frowning at the statues, but also apparently taking note of who wasn’t frozen, as her eyes lingered in certain areas including theirs, “Well you’ve certainly made an unforgettable impression. They’re not going to be happy when they get turned back to normal.”

“Well I’m certainly not worried, they’ll forgive me, because I am beautiful,” Hancock informed her with a toss of her hair.

“Maybe, maybe not,” (name) replied with a shrug, “How long until it comes undone?”

“It won’t,” Hancock informed her with a pleased smile, “Not until I or an Enchantress stronger than me undoes it, and lets face it, there isn’t one.”

“Is that true?” Ace asked intrigued, obviously wondering if this Witch, despite her arrogance or perhaps because of it, might make a good sparring partner. After all taking on someone arrogant and beating the tar out of them was almost as much fun as having a good spar with someone on your level.

“Is what true, that it will take a stronger Enchantress, or that she’s the strongest one around ~yoi?” Marco clarified.

“Either, or both,” Ace told him with a shrug, glancing over the people who’d been frozen. He wasn’t too concerned as none of his friends or brothers had been turned. A couple of their allies had been, but none that he was particularly close to.

“That it would take an Enchantress stronger than her is probably true, that’s true for most enchantments, but as for her being the strongest well…” Thatch trailed off glancing at Izo.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Izo demanded annoyed, “I don’t know everything you know.”

“But you know an awful lot,” Thatch wheedled hopefully, throwing in a pleading expression for good measure.

Their feminine friend heaved a sigh, “It is possible that she’s the strongest. Admittedly we don’t know a whole lot about the Witches, but there’s been a rumor going around for years now that the strongest Enchantress since Circe had emerged over in Paradise Prep. Pops was really interested at the time, still is.”

“Yikes! Does that mean they’re really stuck forever?” Haruta asked concerned.

“Maybe not,” Marco told them. He hadn’t taken his eyes off the newcomers in case another tried to attack, and it was pretty obvious the one called (name) wasn’t very happy, “look.”

“You should undo it Hancock,” (name) suggested flatly.

“Why?” Hancock demanded annoyed, “I think this rather evens the odds quite nicely, besides it’s their own fault anyway.”

Marco frowned at that, evening the odds? What was that supposed to mean? Were they actually expecting them to be hostile? If they weren’t before they most certainly would be now. This little show had done nothing but tick off a lot of people who might otherwise have been indifferent or even welcoming. Unless she was hoping to intimidate them? But the ones who would be intimidated were the ones who were frozen.

“I can think of several reasons,” (Name) answered flatly, “Firstly because I don’t want to spend every day passing what are, quite frankly, the most disturbing lawn ornaments I’ve ever seen.”

Izo snorted in amusement, then flushed in embarrassment, hiding his face with his fan as his brothers looked at him incredulously, “What it was funny!”

“Secondly, I thought you said your beloved was here, what happens if he’s frozen hmm?” she pointed out, effectively distracting them from Izo.

“My beloved is immune to even the strongest of my Love-Love beams,” Hancock informed her with a superior smile.

“Which makes him either the most oblivious idiot on the face of the planet, or completely and utterly gay,” Thatch muttered, receiving nods of agreement.

“And his friends? Are they all immune as well? I doubt he’s going to be happy if you petrified a bunch of his friends,” (name) pointed out reasonably.

“Well… I…” Hancock hesitated, obviously at a loss.

“And thirdly, Headmistress Tsuru is not going to be happy with this, now if you want to spend the rest of your life as a piece of laundry, flapping in the wind when she hangs you out to dry you go for it, but my Coven sure as hell isn’t taking the fall for this,” (name) finished before Hancock could think of a proper retort.

“Could someone please show us where to go? We need to get our rooms picked and get unpacked,” she called out over the crowd, glancing around.

Marco glanced around to see if anyone was going to volunteer, only to suddenly find himself shoved forward into the open drive in front of the two women. Glancing back he saw Thatch looking after him, an all too innocent expression on his face.

“Will you help us then?” (name) asked a slight frown on her lips.

He glanced at her, she was even prettier up close, with slightly upturned nose, prominent cheekbones, pouty lips and warm blemish free skin. Even in her heels she was a few inches shorter than he was, but she gave off the feeling of being taller.

“Sure,” he answered after a second’s deliberation. After all it couldn’t hurt anything, “Why not.”

“Thank you,” she replied honest gratitude in her tone, “These are my Coven sisters, Nami, Koala, Nojiko, Vivi, Alvida, Perona Robin, Caimie, and Kaya.”

Marco nodded politely as each girl was introduced, each just as beautiful as the last and each unique, taking a moment to be really grateful for his good name-face memory, “I’m Marco ~yoi. Follow me please.”

“That lucky bastard,” Thatch muttered just loud enough for him to hear.

“Serves you right for trying to embarrass him,” Izo hissed back before they were out of earshot. Marco couldn’t help but agree, maybe that would teach Thatch a lesson, but probably not.

…~oO*Oo~…

You followed your guide through the hoard of statues and Warlocks head held high, wishing, not for the first time, that your group had been allowed to come and get settled first. Maybe it would’ve prevented that disastrous first meeting between Boa and the Warlocks.

Already you could tell her little show was going to have serious repercussions when it came to finding allies here. You would just have to hope that they wouldn’t see you as a collective group but as individuals, and make good impressions where you could. Speaking of which…

“How are you liking the new dorm building Marco? Anything we should be aware of?” you asked politely as he led you inside.

He glanced back at you, apparently startled, giving you another glimpse of his face. He was more rugged than handsome, with a slightly long face, his chin covered in stubble, golden blond hair that stuck up in all directions that was shaved at the sides and back, and heavy lidded turquoise blue eyes. 

It turns out you like rugged, a lot. Especially when rugged comes at a good six and a half feet tall, with broad shoulders and sculpted abs, which were on display thanks to the dark purple shirt he was wearing completely open, baring his chest and the strange tattoo on it.

He was also wearing dark blue capris, with a turquoise blue sash and golden belt around his hips, with lace up sandals, and an odd calf decoration that reminded you a bit of Hawaiian grass skirts.

“It’s alright ~yoi,” he told you with a shrug as you moved to walk beside him so he wouldn’t have to speak over his shoulder, “A lot more space than before, the rooms actually come as suites, with several bedrooms off a living space. The farther up you go the bigger the suites are. For example the first floor has two bedroom, one bath suites, the second has three bedroom two baths, the third has four bedrooms two baths, the fourth has five bedrooms three baths, and the fifth has six bedrooms three baths.”

“We weren’t sure what you would want, but the headmaster told us to leave some suites on each floor empty, we’re pretty intermixed on all floors right now, do you have an idea of what you want?” he prompted, pausing for a moment in front of a staircase. You glanced back at Koala, Robin and Nojiko who were good at this kind of logistics, and the three traded glances.

“Any chance there are two of those six bedroom apartments available right next to one another?” Koala asked after a minute of deliberation.

“Preferably in a corner,” Nojiko tacked on and Robin nodded her agreement.

You glanced at Marco who raised an eyebrow but didn’t question that your group was asking for more rooms than you actually had people just headed for the stairs, “Sure I think the corner one across from ours is empty, and the one next to it too if you don’t mind.”

“That’s perfect, thank you,” you told him after getting confirming nods from every member of your coven.

“No skin off my back,” he answered with a shrug, then added after a moment’s visible hesitation, “Watch out for pranks though, Thatch, Ace and Haruta all like them.”

You were surprised but pleased that he’d thought to warn you and you offered him a sincere smile, “Guess that means we should put up our anti-prank enchantments and traps ASAP then.”

He glanced at you surprised as he began to lead the way upstairs and you answered his unasked question, “We’d heard that pranks were maybe a bit of a thing at New World, so we researched counter measures. None of our traps will do any permanent damage, but they should teach any pranksters a lesson, do with that what you will.”

“I think maybe I’ll let them figure out that you came prepared on their own, it might just teach them a lesson,” he told you with a chuckle. You grinned, you were liking him more and more.

“Some advice though, don’t let them prank Boa Hancock, or if they do make absolutely certain they don’t get caught. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if she permanently froze or maimed them in retribution, depending on how bad it is she might even kill them,” you warned him, “she’s the one from outside.”

“Yeah I got the feeling she was an ice bitch ~yoi,” Marco told you with a troubled frown, “But you honestly think she’d go crazy over a few harmless pranks?”

“It depends on whether the pranks were actually harmless or not,” you replied after a moment’s thought, “I’ve seen some very cruel and harmful pranks done, and if she or either of her two sisters was damaged physically or hurt emotionally, absolutely yes, she will kill the perpetrators. Not that I can blame her for that, I’m a bit protective over my Coven myself.”

“However, things like itching powder, dye, stealing underwear, that kind of thing, temporary and harmless, I at least would probably laugh off, she’s more likely to take someone’s head off,” you finished pursing your lips.

“Tch, she won’t survive here then, maybe she could’ve gotten away with her behavior at Paradise, but here? Here there are people who are stronger than her, no matter how strong she is as an Enchantress, they won’t play nice and they won’t play fair,” Marco said flatly.

“I know this might sound like making excuses for her, and I don’t know it for sure,” you began hesitantly, “But I got the impression that Hancock and her sisters have been badly hurt by Warlocks before. Just how badly hurt I don’t know, but badly enough that up until she met her beloved she hated Warlocks on principle.”

“I suppose that would explain her hostility, but doing what she did is just going to make enemies,” Marco warned her, but she could see him softening just the slightest bit.

“Again, I don’t know her well, we’re somewhat of rivals but not close at all, so this is a guess again, but I think she’s nervous,” you admitted, “And people often make mistakes when they’re unsure.”

“I suppose ~yoi,” Marco conceded, “And what about you? Are you nervous (name)?”

“Yes and no,” you admitted readily enough, “Yes because technically speaking the Warlocks here outnumber us two to one, and meeting large groups of powerful people can be intimidating. No because I have my Coven at my back and with them I feel strong enough to face what challenges come my way.”

“I’ve heard of Coven magic, my Pops says that it’s one of the most powerful magics to ever exist. I’ve never seen it in action myself though,” Marco admitted glancing over the group of you curiously.

“Well, it might actually be a while before you see any of it,” you told him with a shrug, then elaborated at his questioning look, “Personally I prefer to only use Coven magic when the Coven really needs it. Outside of that I look for each of my girls to stand on their own if they can. Obviously if they can’t we’re happy to step in, but that’s usually as a tag team, the actual Coven magic, where every single one of us participates in something together is pretty rare. In fact I can’t think of a single time we’ve actually been forced that far.”

“That’s actually pretty impressive, but does that mean you’ve never used it then?” He asked curiously.

“No, we’ve used it,” you assured him with a grin, “We have to every time we add a new member, but we also use it sometimes at festivals to show off, when Headmistress Tsuru made us do Coven vs. Coven free-for-alls with a Coven magic requirement and with particularly strong enchantments. For example the ones we’re going to lay in our room will probably be Coven magic.”

“Interesting, and speaking of your room, this is our floor ~yoi,” Marco told you, “The stairs up lead to the roof, and there’s a garden and places for star gazing up there too.”

He pushed open the door, which led to a long hallway, “We’re all the way at the end on this side.”

You nodded and followed him down the hall with the rest of your Coven at your back, noting it was pretty defensible once you were actually there, but the hallway itself would be difficult to get down if people in other suites ambushed you.

“Who else is on this floor?” You asked curiously, glancing at the closed doors with interest.

“In this half of the building it’s, us, Straw hat Luffy and his friends, The Surgeon of Death Trafalgar Law and his group, Eustass “Captain” Kidd and his followers and now you, the others are empty for now,” Marco told her casually indicating which doors held which groups as they passed.

“Any of them going to take issue with us do you think?” you asked hoping he would continue to provide helpful information.

“Honestly they probably would’ve left you alone if your friend hadn’t pulled her little stunt, now though it’s hard to say ~yoi,” Marco told her with a shrug, “I would almost bet Kidd and his gang will be plotting something nasty in answer to her little show, whether your group will be involved in that is anyone’s guess. Law will probably be neutral to you guys unless you piss him off somehow, he’s pretty cold and analytical and I doubt he’d lump you in with her, though it’s sometimes really hard to tell with that guy, as for Luffy and his friends? Don’t worry about them, Luffy’s a hard guy to make angry, and he definitely won’t blame you for something someone else did.”

“Here’s our stop,” he told you as you reached the end of the corridor, indicating the two doors on the left hand side of the hallway. You stepped out of the way as the girls moved past you eager to see the new living space and to get settled in.

“Thank you,” you told him holding your hand out to him, “I really appreciate all your help.”

“Don’t worry about it ~yoi,” he said with a casual shrug, but accepting your hand easily.

“I know Hancock didn’t make the best of first impressions, but we at least are hoping to make friends and allies here. I can’t apologize for her, that’s her job as leader of her Coven, but I hope you and your friends at least won’t judge all of us by her actions,” you told him squeezing his hand gently before letting go.

“I think you already showed everyone you were different,” Marco informed you his head tilted with interest, “Welcome to Grand Line Academy (name) I look forward to getting to know you.”

“And I you,” you told him smiling brightly, surprised by his sincerity.

“(Name)! Hurry it up we’ve got unpacking and Enchanting to do!” Nami shouted from inside the rooms.

“Sounds like I’m needed, see you around?” you asked lightly.

Marco hesitated for a second then said, “If you want to stop by around seven tonight, I can show you the way to the Dining Hall. My brothers will probably want to accompany us, so if you aren’t ready for that sort of thing it’s fine, either way just knock.”

“I’ll be there at seven,” you promised trying not to giggle at the slightly awkward request. He was sweet, and fairly laidback. You liked him.

“Alight, see you then,” he said after a few moments of shocked silence to digest your quick affirmative.

You smiled and waved before letting yourself into your new apartment, leaving Marco standing in the hallway. Closing the door you turned around to find all the girls standing there, eyeing you with predatory looks on their faces.

You sighed knowing exactly what they were thinking about, “Yes, he was cute, but we have a lot to do. Unpacking and Enchanting now, interrogation later.”

“Sure thing boss,” Nami said with a saccharine sweet smile, “But don’t think we’ll forget this.”

“I know you won’t,” you informed her resigned, “But let’s get to work ladies. Robin, Koala, Nojiko, what’s the plan for set-up here?”

“I took a quick look while you were chatting in the hall with Mr. Blond Hottie,” Nojiko began tossing you an amused smirk, “And it looks like this here is the main living space. It’s completely square, and each of those six doors, the two in front of us and the two to each side, lead to bedrooms. The two in front and to the right have balconies because they’re on the outside of the building, the two to the left have large walk in closets instead and I would assume the other side of the closet leads to the suite next door. The bathrooms are between the sets of rooms and are Jack and Jill, with openings into each room but not into the living area.”

“If we knock down the walls in between the living space, and the first bedroom to the left, then take out the two walls that make the closets, and then the other wall that leads to the second living space, we’ll have essentially created one big apartment,” Koala told you eagerly, indicating the walls in question as you walked into the bedroom.

“Is that going to cause issues with the building’s structure?” you asked unsure, “The last thing I want is to take out something essential and end up with the roof falling down on us, also are we sure it’s okay to make modifications like that?”

“It should be fine (name),” Robin cut in serenely, “I’ve already used my extra eyes to check, and that wall isn’t load bearing and can easily be taken down. And as for upsetting the faculty with our changes, the rules simply state that any damage must be undone or we will be fined for it at the end of our time here. You are in the one of the younger years (name) that gives us potentially five years before we have to do anything about it. As long as we put it back I see no harm in it.”

You nodded, “Perfect, then it seems that’s what we’ll do, now since we have all the bedrooms we need, that means we can use the extra dimensional space we were planning to add in, as bonus rooms instead, does anyone have any requests?”

It showed how long you’d been together that everyone didn’t immediately start talking at once, instead glancing at Nami to begin.

“I was thinking it would be nice to have our own private observatory for our rituals and such,” Nami said with a shrug, “But since we’re on the top floor, and we’re already planning on making modifications, I see no reason not to create our own private staircase to the roof, and hide a bit of it away for ourselves. It wouldn’t be too difficult and wouldn’t actually take any extra dimensional space. As long as we do it quickly, before anyone really has a chance to memorize the rooftop area I doubt anyone will even notice.”

“A good idea, we’ll come back to planning for that in a bit, any others?” you prompted.

“I’d like a garden area,” Nojiko put in immediately, “I was originally thinking it might take some extra dimenstional space, but that can be hard on the plants. Is there any way we could expand Nami’s idea for the garden as well? Real sunshine is what’s best for them.”

“I could also use a garden for medical herbs and the like,” Kaya added, “So we don’t have to forage or buy some of them.”

“Ooh! I could let some of my cute little minions roam around up there too, to guard it and stuff, they’d like that,” Perona chirped gleefully.

“Perfect, I think that’s still doable, we’ll just have to get a bit creative,” you told them with a nod.

“Maybe it’s a bit selfish, but I’d like a swimming pool,” Caimie volunteered next, “I was thinking if we used the space on the outside of the two middle bedrooms, where there’s an alcove between our two suites it would be easy to create a door between the walk-in closets so everyone could use it.”

“Any objections?” you asked.

“I for one, would love to be able to sunbathe, none from me,” Nami voted with a grin.

“So long as we add a hot tub to that sweet deal I’m all for it,” Alvida added smirking. The others all voiced agreements, so you agreed it would be done.

“I think a library could be quite nice,” Robin said next, “A place to store our texts and maybe study some in quiet.”

“A potions lab for us to brew privately could be good too,” Vivi put in hesitantly.

“I really want a place to spar and tumble where we won’t get in trouble for wrecking things,” Koala said with a wince, remembering the lecture you all had gotten last time you’d had a group spar.

When no one else said anything you nodded, “Alright, they sound like good ideas, and perfectly feasible too with the space we’d calculated we could create, though they are going to take a lot of work. Which means we’re going to have to spread them out by priority, and work on them as we can.”

“First thing’s first though, we’re going to have to claim our part of the roof, get these walls knocked down, get our protection Enchantments up, and get unpacked. We do have a day off tomorrow, but the protections and the roof space will have to be done tonight,” you planned aloud.

“The only problem with that is I already promised Marco that we’d meet them for dinner at seven, and I really don’t want us to back out, Boa made a really terrible impression, I don’t want to add to that,” you told them with a grimace.

“Are you sure it’s that and not you wanting to see him again?” Nami teased amused. 

You fought down the flush that wanted to rise to your cheeks and purposefully ignored her, “Any suggestions?”

“I see no reason to not split up then, and have some of us go with you to accompany Marco and his friends and some of us stay here and work a bit longer, so long as you bring us some food back,” Alvida pointed out amused.

“Alright, so who wants to stay and who wants to go?” you asked immediately agreeing with that idea.

“I’m going,” Nami said immediately with a wicked smile, “Can’t pass up the opportunity to see you flustered boss.”

“Then I’d best stay to supervise everything,” Nojiko put in, not too concerned about it.

“I think I will stay to help as well,” Robin said.

“As much as I’d like to go I better stay, I’m probably going to be needed for some of the planning and construction,” Koala voiced regretfully.

“Oh I’m going! Boss and that Marco guy would be so cute! Maybe his friends will be cute too!” Perona squealed happily.

“Count me in to come along,” Alvida declared, “I’ll probably be wanting a break from stuff by then.”

“I’ll stay and help. I want to help Nojiko chose where the garden is going so the plants get the light and shade they need,” Kaya said softly.

“I’d like to go, maybe we’ll see Hatchin! I just hope Boa didn’t freeze him,” Caimie murmured worriedly.

“I’m sure he’s fine Caimie,” Vivi assured their only non-single friend with a kind smile, “And if you’re going, then I’ll stay to make numbers even.”

You clapped your hands together pleased, “Alright, it’s settled, let’s get to work then ladies we have a lot to get done before then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally figured out how to work the End Notes! Thanks to everyone who left Kudos on this fic, and special thanks to Gaearnith for commenting :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so here's the thing. I got tired of alternating between the reader insert form of "you" and "she" in the different stories I was writing, both Draclet and Taste used "she" while the others used "you" and I was getting really confused and so was my poor beta. To fix it unless you guys comment otherwise I'm switching it all over to she, just because that's closer to what I'm used to and leaving the (name) as "(name)". I know technically it's just one step away from being an OC as opposed to Reader Insert but honestly it was making me crazy. If I get enough comments I will fix it and go back to "you" but otherwise it's probably going to be "she" from now on.

Marco seriously contemplated turning around and walking right back out of his room when he saw that all of his brothers were there waiting with eager, anticipatory smiles on their faces. Frankly it hadn’t surprised him at all that they’d beat him up here, the first thing they’d done after getting unpacked was set things up so they could use the windows in the five bedrooms that had them as entrances as needed. They’d taken the quick way while he’d taken the stairs with the Witches.

“Well?” Thatch demanded eagerly, “Tell us everything!”

“You lot are worse than a bunch of gossiping old crones at heart you know that?” Marco informed them flatly dropping into a chair by the door, the one he’d claimed as his own way back during their first year at New World Conservatory that he’d secreted away while they were packing up to make their move here without any of the staff noticing.

“Are not!” Haruta protested, “There’s no way we gossip worse than old Kureha!”

Marco winced, his youngest brother had a point. Kureha was pretty well known for extracting gossip aka blackmail from pretty much everyone. She was the only doctor New World had, had and thus if you got too badly hurt you had to go to her. Unfortunately she would then refuse to treat you until you paid her either in gossip or money.

The smart ones quickly learned to do their own healings and refused to visit Kureha for anything but the most grievous of injuries. Luckily his gifts actually were in healing, even if they were in self-healing which meant he’d never actually had to visit the old Witch.

“Maybe we are, maybe we’re not either way tell us what you thought about them,” Thatch prodded impatiently.

“You could just wait and form your own impressions, I invited them to eat with us,” Marco informed them, figuring he would get that piece of information out there and out of the way.

Ace whistled impressed, and Marco shot him an annoyed look, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It just means that you aren’t someone who’s easily impressed, that you invited them to come eat with us means you liked them,” Jozu explained placatingly.

“It doesn’t, I didn’t really talk to any of them, except (name),” Marco informed them flatly.

“Oh boy,” Thatch breathed, wide-eyed, “He liked her!”

“Will you cut that out?” he snapped annoyed, “I didn’t like her, wait, I did like her, but not like that, and damn it will you stop laughing and help me Izo, control him!”

“Look ~yoi,” he informed them taking a deep breath and giving them his best glare, “She seemed nice enough and, pops asked us to make allies with some of the witches. The others didn’t talk as much, they were obviously following her lead, and she called them ‘My Coven’ which makes her the Coven leader, so obviously she’s the one I talked to the most.”

“Was she attractive? Yes, but obviously we don’t know them that well, the Hancock girl is pretty attractive too, but you won’t see me liking her any time soon,” he scolded firmly.

“Aw Marco you’re no fun,” Haruta told him with a pout. Marco just rolled his eyes.

“Speaking of fun, absolutely no pranks whatsoever on Hancock or her two sisters,” he informed them with a frown, “At least not until we have a better idea of just how strong she is.”

“Aw come on Marco why the hell not? She deserves it!” Thatch whined unhappily, while the others murmured their agreement.

“She does,” he admitted with a grimace, “But I have it on good authority she will not take it well, as in she will try to kill you, or at the very least permanently cripple you.”

His brothers looked at him surprised but grave. Fighting was expected at a school like theirs and injuries happened, with spars a part of the curriculum, and magical healing that could fix all but the gravest of wounds eventually it wasn’t all that surprising. 

However to actually be out to kill or permanently maim a fellow students was pretty much unheard of, there were only a few crazies that actually tried to kill during spars. These were generally either weeded out and expelled, exiled, or killed in turn by someone trying to defend themselves. As one of Whitebeard’s more powerful sons Marco had access to some of the statistics.

Every year at least ten people had died at New World, and at least three at Paradise. A couple of those were to accidents but generally they were purposeful, one student attacking another with the intent to kill. The number of severe injuries was high too, but at least half of those were accidents, with some of the more destructive powers it was extremely hard to hold back at times.

As for the actual killers themselves about one in every hundred warlocks tended to be a bit off kilter, and crazy enough to enjoy killing fellow Magicals. Interestingly enough only one in every thousand Witches had the same sort of impulse, and even if they did they seemed to have better control of it. Whitebeard thought, and Marco agreed that it probably had something to do with the stabilizing influence of Coven Magics.

It was really too bad that Warlocks couldn’t truly perform Coven magics, several attempts had been made over history and none of them had ever ended well. Alliances and families were one thing, but Covens were apparently another. There was a trade-off though because while Warlocks couldn’t perform Coven magics they also tended to be stronger individually with their magics. 

Place a single Warlock versus a single Witch using her own power and the Warlock won nearly ninety percent of the time, but because of Coven magic and the ability to draw from others if needed, Witches were almost never technically “alone”, which again balanced things out.

There had been very few powerhouse Witches throughout the ages, able to stand up to several higher tier Warlocks on their own. Of the living ones now he could only think of Kureha, Gloriosa, Linlin, Shakky, and Tsuru. He could name ten times as many Warlocks who were their equals just as easily. From what he had seen from her demonstration outside Hancock was one of these powerhouses, and one of the killers besides, except…

“So she’s one of the crazy ones?” Jozu asked voicing the same thoughts Marco was having.

“Maybe,” Marco answered slowly.

“What do you mean maybe? Obviously if she’s going to kill someone over a silly prank then she’s nuts,” Izo pointed out flatly.

“I was told, and mind (name) said it was only speculation on her part, that Hancock and her sisters had been badly hurt by Warlocks before,” Marco told them solemnly, “That she’s likely very afraid of being hurt again and so her reactions are in proportion to that fear.”

If the atmosphere hadn’t been grave before it certainly was now and it was Haruta of course who eventually mustered up the courage to ask, “Hurt how exactly?”

“(Name) didn’t seem to know the details. She said they were rivals but not close,” Marco replied recalling the exact wording as best he could, “But well, the implication was pretty clear.”

The men in the room grimaced unhappily. It wasn’t uncommon for witches to be taken advantage of by Warlocks, after all Warlocks were a lot more likely to use sex magics than witches were, since there were fewer negative repercussions for them involved in rituals like that. Needless to say the witches didn’t always have to be willing. A lot of those rituals probably would’ve been outlawed if they couldn’t also be done with willing participants, as it was regular practitioners of sex magic were watched pretty closely.

“I could maybe understand her reaction outside then, the implication was clear, anyone who looks at her in such a way will easily be turned to stone, and probably shattered, “Izo told them quietly, “Though I don’t think a lot of them are going to take it that way, and I’m not sure if it really will discourage the ones looking to hurt her.”

“Moving away from such unfortunate topics,” Thatch interjected, obviously hoping to lighten the atmosphere, “Did (name) really say she and Hancock were rivals? Does that mean she’s just as strong? And did she mention any sort of specialty? We can guess she isn’t likely an Enchantress as that’s what Hancock said she was, and she couldn’t undo the spell outside.”

“She didn’t say,” Marco told him glad Thatch had moved on to a more business like discussion topic as opposed to trying to tease him about a nonexistent crush, “However she did say that her Coven as a whole had never been pushed into using the entirety of their Magics, given that she also said that Tsuru regularly required Coven vs. Coven free-for-alls, there’s a good chance she’s actually stronger than Hancock.”

“That could certainly be interesting,” Ace said eagerly, “You think she would spar with me?”

“Maybe ~yoi,” Marco replied with a casual shrug, “You can certainly ask her when she comes by later.”

“I think I will,” Ace told them with a wild grin, “Could be fun.”

“Jozu? You alright? You’ve got kind of a strange look on your face,” Haruta asked redirecting everyone’s attention to the largest one in the group.

“I was just thinking about what pops said about meeting interesting witches with interesting specialties this year,” Jozu admitted frowning slightly, “Did anyone else think it sounded like he knew something we didn’t?”

“Now that you mention it yes,” Izo replied thoughtfully tapping his fan on the palm of his hand, “I remember thinking it strange, because it was addressed to all of us, but he seemed to be looking at Marco in particular.”

All of his brothers turned to look at him curiously but Marco just shrugged, “Don’t look at me. I don’t know what he was talking about, it’s not like he tells me everything ~yoi.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” Thatch said brightly, “Maybe we’ll find out at dinner, and if not then definitely if she agrees to spar Ace.”

There were nods all around and conversation drifted away towards upcoming classes and the strange biomes that made up the school grounds that they hadn’t had a chance to explore yet. Marco’s thoughts however lingered on what Jozu had said.

Pops had been acting awfully mysterious and vague when it came to the insider information he had on the Witches, and he did have plenty. He and one of the instructors from Paradise Prep regularly met up for drinks. It had actually felt like he was teasing Marco about one witch in particular, hinting he should really like her, but he hadn’t been able to find out which one before he had to leave for school.

He had to wonder if (name) wasn’t the one he’d been referencing and if she was, why pops thought he in particular would like her. The obvious answer would be that they had similar specialties but he kind of doubted that, he’d never met anyone else with a Phoenix spirit animal before or even heard of one, so maybe she was a really good healer?

He grimaced and decided not to think about it, especially since (name) might not even be who pops was referencing. Instead he turned back to the conversation at hand figuring he’d find out eventually.

…~oO*Oo~…

Back in their rooms (name) and her Coven members had all chosen rooms, tossed their stuff down and immediately begun working together to get the walls down under Koala’s direction. Luckily between Koala and Robin’s specialties it wasn’t too difficult and didn’t take long at all.

That done they’d done the calculations to find the very center of their new living space, which was actually a wall in the ‘hallway’ they’d created between the suites. After some quick calculations they had Robin, Vivi, and Nami write out the runes to anchor their protective enchantment as they had the best handwriting, though it was actually Koala, Caimie, and Kaya who told them what to write as they were the ones with the instincts for enchantments.

The field of enchanting was actually pretty wide and varied with several different subcategories. This included warding, object, and curse/blessing magics. At the root of it an enchantment was a magic meant to last for a long period of time, generally forever if at all possible, or until the magic or lifespan in the case of curses/blessings, ran out.

The one they were using now was called warding or “area enchanting” as they were actually placing an enchantment around a certain area, in this case their rooms. Warding enchantments also had a few different subcategories, offensive, defensive, and creative. Offensive wards did things like throw fire if one got too close, more like a permanent trap than a barrier, Defensive wards did things like keep people out like a shield, or trick them into seeing something other than what was really there, finally creative wards were actually used to create pocket dimensions and anchor them in place, thus their name.

What they were working on now was a complex scheme of offensive and defensive wards that they’d discussed and designed ahead of time for just this moment. Normally wards were set in layers, one by one with breaks taken in between to protect the caster’s energy levels. Admittedly this was a good way to do things, and generally it was the way warlocks had to do things because they had to work magics on their own.

However if they were layered on one by one, they could also be taken apart one by one, which made them much easier to destroy than the ones she and her Coven were about to lay. Coven wards were very different in that instead of laying the wards one by one like boards in a neat stack they instead created a bunch of them at once, which made them much more like a Jenga tower, if you didn’t pick the right ward to undo first then the whole thing would come crashing into you. The results of which would be very painful.

This was why when people were looking to lay enchantments like the ones that surrounded the school, or the ones around sacred places they were much more likely to ask a Coven of Witches who could work in perfect synchronization to lay them all in a booby-trapped tangle. Plus Coven magic tended to be much stronger than a single warlock could handle on their own, and thus it generally took large groups to bring down Coven built wards.

Their wards were actually going to be even trickier than the ones previously mentioned. After all they were going to be doing several things in here that by no means did they want their fellow students to find out about. To that end they were actually going to combine the two techniques, essentially making several layers of different sets of wards. Maybe it was paranoid but they all liked their privacy.

It was why it had taken them so long to come up with their warding scheme, because each set of wards had to not only work in their set, but also work with the other sets, which wasn’t easy to say the least.

When the last of the runes were written as instructed, she and the rest of the Coven took seats in a circle on the floor, extending their hands so that each person had a hand on the knees of the two people next to them, creating what was essentially a large knot of overlapping arms.

Reaching deep into herself, she fell into her magic pool, and pulled the others down with her two at a time, until she reached Nami who anchored the other end of the circle. Doing Coven enchantments was a very strange experience. It was essentially an out of body thing, where each witch was only visible to others in their spirit form which reflected their magical specialties. For instance Nami was a creature made of clouds, wind and lightning, while her sister Nojiko looked to be entirely made of plants.

Perona took the lead during this part of enchantments, as the one most used to being outside her body in spirit form. She was actually the only one of all of them who looked normal like this if a bit translucent.

Cheerfully she began calling directions to everyone as they floated around the space they were protecting, whispering out the words needed to set the first layer of wards. The first set were actually the weakest and the easiest to detect and get through. Honestly they were mostly an alarms system that would notify everyone in the rooms and outside them that someone was trying to force their way through without permission.

The second layer of wards would be the one where all the defensive and offensive wards would go that would be set to trigger for different types of attacks, from all out assassination attempts to simple harmless pranks. Finally the third set of wards would be where they anchored the things like fire/water/pest protection spells, along with any personal wards they wanted to set, and the pocket dimension wards when they got around to them later.

Everyone had their own specific task. Hers was mostly just to provide power for the others, being the strongest member and the leader of the Coven. She was also the anchor that kept all of them inside the magic and would be the one to pull them out again.

Nami was the one in charge of the innermost wards for protecting from things like fire/water/pests, partnered with Caimie and both were carefully setting those with occasional direction and assistance from Perona and Alvida.

Robin was in charge of the second layer, with Nojiko as her partner. The two of them were layering all sorts of different traps, focusing hard on access areas like the vents, windows and doors, along with an extremely strong shield enchantment, set under one meant to cause disorientation and misdirection.

Koala was in charge of the outer layer of wards, with the help of Kaya and Vivi. She was also the one who would be helping Robin link the three sets of wards together so they could exist harmoniously.

Once the group work was done each individual had different tasks to complete. Nami fed lightning, wind and water into the traps, with the occasional boost from (name). Nojiko fed the plants climbing up the walls outside their windows to turn them into another form of offensive/defensive and give them another access point into their rooms via the windows. 

Alvida made sure that certain things couldn’t be touched without permission, and set tricky nets and slippery surfaces of magic into the wards. Perona helped by adding debilitating if temporary curses in.

Caimie double checked to make sure everything was waterproof, and then added some of their return fire prank traps into the wards. Koala helped her with that, by adding force, and reinforcing the bridges between the sets of wards.

Robin added anti-spying spells to their rooms to keep anyone from hearing, or seeing anything that happened inside without permission, while Vivi worked on the intent based wards, feeding them the emotions they would need and setting their parameters.

Kaya set sweet dream and healing wards over the individual rooms to ensure peaceful nights of sleep along with some things to speed up natural healing. They wouldn’t heal serious injuries overnight, but with the Coven powering them they would add a significant boost.

When everything was finished they all pulled back, and each individual member of the Coven walked every ring of wards several times to ensure nothing had been missed by any of the others. A few small issues were fixed here and there, and then when they were done, they came back over to (name) who helped them withdraw to their physical bodies, two by two with Nami and herself going last.

Pulling out of their magic, she gently released the Coven bond, and everyone simultaneously withdrew their hands. On the wall the runes they’d chosen to anchor everything glowed brightly for a minute before sinking into it, and disappearing from sight. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that it had been successful and then moved to stand.

There were several grumbles as they worked out the kinks in their limbs that came from sitting in one position completely unmoving for hours on end. Each one of them stretched as best they could and grinned tiredly at one another.

“Damn, that took a lot out of me,” Alvida told them with a groan, stretching her arms up and letting her spine crack, “I’m sure as hell gonna sleep well tonight.”

“Don’t go sleeping just yet,” Nami warned, “We still have a lot to get done.”

“I know that,” Alvida told her rolling her eyes in annoyance, “What’s next then?”

“Getting that staircase to the roof done, but I think that will only take a few of us,” (name) replied immediately, “Nami, Nojiko, Kaya, Koala, and Robin, go scout around upstairs and see what you can see, find out what’s up there and if there’s going to be a good spot for this.”

“The rest of you will help me start unpacking the stuff in the main rooms, the living room furniture and the kitchen stuff, we’ve only got about an hour and a half until we need to go meet Marco and his friends, so let’s see what we can do,” she ordered firmly.

The group that she named immediately headed for the door, chatting quietly amongst themselves on what they’d like to see from their soon to be rooftop hideaway, while the others turned to her. She pulled the small sheet of paper she’d kept with her in her drawstring bag and set it on the floor.

The sheet was something that headmistress Tsuru had given each coven leader when they were packing their things to come to the new school. It was enchanted so that the majority of their stuff didn’t have to be carried with them through the transport spell, but summoned once they got to their rooms from wherever it was being stored in the new school building.

Setting the paper on the floor in the center of one of the living rooms, she quickly bit her thumb to draw blood and swiped it over the single rune in the center before taking several large steps backwards. It was a good thing she did as a veritable mountain of luggage and packages began to emerge from the paper.

The girls in the room watched with wide eyes as it grew taller and taller, and she was beginning to wonder if they shouldn’t make a run for it before they were crushed when it finally stopped.

“Everyone okay?” she asked calling out over the pile to the other side of the room, she could see Vivi and Caimie fine but Alvida, and Perona had disappeared on the other side of the luggage mountain.

“I’m fine,” Alvida called back wryly, “Miss ghost princess is ironically enough buried under her own plushy collection. It might take a while to dig her out, but she’s not hurt.”

(Name) snorted and rolled her eyes. Perona was practically obsessed with stuffed animals and had refused to pack them into suitcases stating they might be afraid of the dark or get lonely. Considering Perona’s magic lay in possessing and animating these toys she would know, and it probably wasn’t actually as ridiculous as it sounded. However it had been a hassle, to pack all those stuffed animals individually, and so she couldn’t fault Alvida for her amusement at the necromancer’s plight.

“Alright, well see if you can’t start working from that side, let’s just worry about getting all the suitcases and packages to their proper rooms. How much stuff did you people pack anyways?” she asked exasperatedly.

“It wasn’t me!” Caimie protested immediately, “I have like maybe three suitcases.”

“I might have five,” Vivi admitted sheepishly.

“I brought three too!” Alvida called back from over the mountain.

“And just three for me as well,” (name) admitted, “Even accounting for all the stuff we bought to decorate, it doesn’t mean we should have this much stuff!”

“How much you want to bet Nami brought at least ten suitcases?” Alvida asked dryly.

“No bet,” (name) countered immediately with a wry smile, “That girl has way too many clothes.”

“Probably Nojiko and Perona too,” Caimie said with a pout.

“Robin probably needed a lot of bags for her books for the library,” Vivi contributed nervously eyeing the enormous pile, wondering which bag would contain those doubtlessly extremely heavy books and hoping they wouldn’t fall.

“Koala at least probably packed light,” (name) told them, trying to interject some cheer, “And I suppose it’s no good moaning about it, let’s get to work.”

The five of them immediately set to it. Luckily Robin had, had the foresight to make sure everyone remembered to label their things, and the packages so they’d know what went where, so they didn’t actually have to open anything to get it to where it needed to go.

Unfortunately having used so much magic on the wards, and knowing they were going to probably need more to set up the wards for the observatory/garden later that night, they had to conserve it, which meant having to lift things physically instead of with magic unless they absolutely couldn’t manage.

She, Alvida and Caimie managed pretty well with that, being more physical fighters, but Perona and Vivi quickly began to struggle. Peacemaker that she was Vivi didn’t bother to complain, doing the best she could with what she had, Perona was her opposite, complaining loud and long.

Partway through the other half of the coven returned, and gaped at the mountain of stuff, which they had hastened to assure them, wasn’t nearly as big as it had been when it had first emerged from transport.

There were a few minor mishaps with some of the luggage, a few smashed toes, and some minor breakage of items here and there, but nothing Kaya and Koala respectively couldn’t fix, which was a good thing as Nami had threatened to fine anyone who broke anything.

In punishment though (name) had made the other girl start helping them move things, so she would be just as liable to break things to keep Alvida and Perona from attempting to take her head off.

When they finally finished they were sweaty, dirty, and absolutely exhausted. The huge mountain was gone, but they would still have more to do when they got back as nothing was actually unpacked yet. Meaning they didn’t actually have any furniture including their beds set up. Unfortunately they also only had about fifteen minutes to spare before they were supposed to go across the hall.

“Quick Kaya we need freshening spells, pretty please,” Nami begged unhappily, “No way do I want to appear in front of a bunch of Warlocks like this.”

It was true they were a pitiful sight. Of the group intended to go with her to meet Marco, none of them looked particularly good. She felt absolutely nasty herself and in dire need of a shower.

“Honestly she needs to be saving her magic for later Nami,” Nojiko scolded firmly stopping Kaya from helping.

“Actually Nojiko, I’m gonna have to go with Nami on this, and before you say it, no it’s not because I want to look nice for Marco,” (name) interjected before Nami could throw a tantrum.

“We’re still making an impression on the Warlocks remember? Trying to make up for Hancock. Marco said he was taking us to the dining hall, and considering the hour it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s quite full. Now I don’t know about you, but if I saw someone walking around like this, unless I knew for a fact they were coming out a physical fitness or sparring class I probably wouldn’t think too highly of them,” she explained.

“True, plus you guys kind of stink no offense,” Koala told them brightly as Kaya once again moved forward to help them out with freshening spells, both she and Vivi could do them really well, but Vivi’s always felt like being blow-dried which was the last thing she wanted right now when she was already dying of heat. Caimie’s weren’t bad either but she didn’t particular want to smell like the ocean today. Kaya’s always left them smelling fresh and clean, which was an added bonus.

“Would you like to share my stink?” Alvida asked saucily spreading her arms wide for a hug.

“Uh I’ll pass,” Koala giggled hiding behind Robin who was watching them all, clearly amused.

(Name) breathed a sigh of relief as Kaya got to her, and all the sweat was whisked away with the feel of a fresh spring breeze. Her clothes were once more set perfectly on her body, not sticking to her, every hair was in place, and she felt nice and relatively clean. Admittedly it wasn’t quite as nice as taking a shower, but in a pinch it was more than enough.

“Alright ladies, we’ll bring you some food when we come back, don’t work too hard, we’ve still got a lot to do tonight. Take rests if you need to, Nojiko’s in charge,” she ordered as she headed to the door, the others who were accompanying her at her back.

“Will do boss lady,” Koala chirped cheerfully.

“You have fun with Marco,” Nojiko added on slyly.

“And be sure to bring us back plenty of details,” Robin said with a benign smile, a teasing glimmer in her eyes.

“We will,” Nami promised fervently, a slightly manic look on her face as she beamed at her clearly uncomfortable Coven leader who was glaring at them with all her might.

“See you later, and behave all of you,” (name) warned shooting them all an annoyed look before leading the way out the door and hoping to hell her Coven didn’t intend to embarrass her to badly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if I mentioned it yet, but this story doesn't have a pairing, if at any time you want to request one though or at least see some of them together even if it's not the end pairing let me know. Also reverse harem? yes or no?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning this story is slow burn, and all the relationships outside the one with the reader are side relationships and not the main focus. I will hopefully be updating my tags to reflect this.

(Name) ignored the giggles of her Coven as she walked across the hall, and rapped politely on the door Marco had indicated was theirs. A few seconds later it swung open revealing someone who was definitely not Marco, and also definitely not wearing a shirt.

He was a few inches taller than her in heels, with dark wavy hair hung nicely around his face, with steely grey eyes, a sharp nose decorated by adorable freckles and a slightly wicked looking smile on his face. He was wearing a bright orange cowboy hat with small red beads and two smileys on it one grinning one frowning, with larger red beads around his neck. He had some kind of brace on his left elbow, dark heavy looking boots on and dark cargo shorts, held up by a bright orange belt with an A on the buckle.

Not that the belt seemed to be doing all that great a job seeing as the shorts were sitting fairly low on his hips revealing the nicely cut V of his hipbones, chiseled abs, firm pecs and broad shoulders. His arms were also nicely sculpted and she could tell from the ripple of muscle that he was a fighter, and likely very good at hand to hand.

It was a good thing she wasn’t the kind to blush or fluster easily, though she did feel a little hot under the collar. Who could blame her really? Whoever this was he was very attractive. Behind her the chatter and giggles from the other girls had stopped and she felt more than a little vindicated that she wasn’t the only one taken off guard by the handsome stranger.

“Hi, I’m (name) she offered holding out her hand politely, “Marco offered to walk us to dinner?”

“Name’s Ace,” he told her, accepting the hand with a firm shake, “Portgas D. Ace, and yeah he mentioned that, we were waiting for you just a sec…”

“Oy the Witches are here, let’s go! Food now!” he shouted over his shoulder.

“There was no need to shout ~yoi,” a familiar, if annoyed voice pointed out, moving to stand where he could be seen, “We were standing right behind you.”

Whatever Ace might’ve said in reply was cut off as both he and Marco were practically bowled over by a newcomer, a redhead with an extremely high pompadour, wearing a nice white chef’s jacket and a beaming smile on his face, “Hello there! I’m Thatch and who might you lovely ladies be?”

“I’m (name) and these are my Coven sisters, Nami, Alvida, Perona, and Caimie,” she introduced politely.

“Well you know me ~yoi,” Marco told her after placing the one called Thatch in a chokehold and using his other hand to cover his mouth, “And it seems you’ve met Ace and Thatch, Jozu is the big one, Izo is the pretty one and Haruta is the youngest.”

She nodded politely to each in turn who nodded back, or in Haruta’s case smiled and winked.

“Is it just the five of you then~yoi?” Marco asked glancing around.

“It is,” she confirmed, “We’ve got a lot of stuff to do before classes the day after tomorrow, so they stayed behind to work. We’re supposed to bring them back some food if we can though.”

“Yo- the hell?” Marco cut off releasing Thatch from the chokehold a look of complete disgust on his face as he proceeded to wipe his hand on the back of Thatch’s shirt, “did you seriously just lick me?”

“Serves you right,” Thatch informed him smugly before turning to their group, “Everyone ready to go?”

Receiving confirming nods he brushed past the group into the hallway, gesturing for them to follow, and they fell into a small clump behind him, like tourists following a guide as he explained, “Bringing back food shouldn’t be an issue, they’re pretty cool about letting us have whatever from the dining hall food wise, though it is a bit limited, so if you’ve got certain things you like you’ll probably have to order from off campus.”

“We were kind of expecting that, and here you thought the fridge was a waste of money,” Alvida piped up to Nami who grimaced.

“The thing was damn expensive, and we really didn’t need all those bonus features like the shaved ice maker,” Nami snipped back haughtily.

“But I liked the shaved ice maker,” Caimie put in with a sad frown.

“You guys have a fridge?” Ace asked curiously in an aside to (name) who he was walking beside. The three of them were the ones right behind Thatch with Ace on her right and Marco on her left, with Nami just slightly behind her to watch her back.

“Sure, we picked up all sorts of kitchen supplies just in case,” she told him with a shrug, “Figured we might as well. I don’t know if you know this or not but Covens tend to go on to live with one another after graduating from school. When Tsuru told us we’d basically be getting our own apartments we figured we’d splurge and buy what we’d like to see in our future home.”

“I thought for the most part the rooms were supposed to have furniture provided?” Haruta piped up from behind them curiously, “Ours came with the sheet to summon furniture and we used that outside of a few pieces we brought ourselves.”

“And is the furniture comfortable?” Alvida asked, “Because Tsuru showed us what we should expect and it certainly didn’t look like it. We took one look and decided we’d furnish ourselves thank you very much, not like we couldn’t afford it between the ten of us if everyone chipped in.”

“Plus our stuff is so much cuter than that drab ugly stuff,” Perona chipped in cheerfully.

“They have a point,” Izo informed the others with a huff, “I certainly wouldn’t have minded bringing a few more luxuries from home.”

“So send for them,” Jozu pointed out reasonably, “I’m sure Pops wouldn’t mind.”

“Wonder if he’d send the beds,” Thatch mused aloud, “Those pathetic excuses for mattresses are hell on the back.”

“He’d probably just say to buy new ones, easier that way, so we won’t have to send them back and forth every year,” Haruta put in.

“Too true, wonder if he’d give me some money for shopping,” Izo mused happily, “What all did you bring?”

“Well, furniture for a living room, enough to seat the ten of us plus guests, because we weren’t sure how much room we’d have in the suite,” Nami began listing off on her fingers, “Plus television, gaming systems, and other miscellaneous electronics.”

“King sized beds with custom mattresses for all of us,” Perona cheered, “Personal room décor, dressers, vanities, and desks.”

“The kitchen stuff, a stove, oven, refrigerator, freezer, microwave, and all sorts of other gadgets,” Alvida added with a shrug.

“Bathroom décor, patio furniture, library and potions brewing tables, bookshelves, ritual room stuff,” Caimie listed, “Oh and the hot tub!”

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Ace said flatly, “A hot tub? Really?”

“Not kidding,” (name) informed him with a shrug, “We wanted it, we might potentially have the room for it, and if not now then later.”

“How do you afford all that stuff ~yoi?” Marco asked skeptically.

“Ah, well most of us have connections, some of us come from money, a few of us have very lucrative jobs that we can do from school, and Nami plays the stock market like Beethoven played the piano, and is the best haggler I’ve met in my life,” (name) told them wryly, “Which generally means all our finances go to her to handle.”

“Aww, thanks (name) you say the nicest things about me, unlike some people,” Nami cooed sticking her tongue out at Alvida.

“I didn’t say being a money grubbing witch wasn’t also useful, just that you were one,” Alvida pointed out with a sniff, as Caimie and Perona giggled and nodded in agreement.

“Do witch Covens all do that?” Haruta asked as Nami pointedly ignored Alvida, “Finish each other’s sentences and stuff?”

“Haruta,” Izo hissed unhappily, “Don’t be rude.”

“Don’t worry about it,” (name) told Izo waving it off, “Honestly I don’t mind the questions. I know Warlocks in general don’t know much about Coven magics outside of how to fight them if it comes down to it.”

“The answer is it depends,” she explained with a shrug, “Our coven does, because we are all exceptionally close. We’re a family, sisters, and we know each other very well, thus we can generally finish each others sentences. I guess it all depends on how close the bonds between members are and how the Coven leader runs things.”

“How the Coven leader runs things?” Jozu prompted interested.

“Well, using my Coven as an example, I’m the leader, that gives me absolute last say in everything, a bit like the head of a family, like the matriarch I guess, and if I’m not around then Nami my second takes over, but for the most part things are chosen by group decision where everyone gets equal opportunity for say,” she explained with a thoughtful frown on her face.

“Boa Hancock’s Coven would be the opposite side of the scale from us,” Nami piped in, “She chooses everything with very little input, and generally that input is from her two sisters Marigold and Sandersonia. She cares very little for what her underlings want, and that’s how she views them, underlings.”

“So in a conversation like this one Hancock would be doing all the talking, with maybe occasional input from Sandersonia and Marigold,” Alvida put in with a sneer, “She wouldn’t let the others talk at all.”

“We could talk as individuals if we wanted,” Perona said steering the conversation away from Hancock’s Coven knowing how the others felt about it, “Marco saw (name) do it earlier, but it’s not nearly as cute!”

“She’s right,” Caimie agreed with a smile, “If we were having separate conversations, or if your question had been addressed to one person instead of all of us, it would’ve been answered that way.”

“That’s kind of neat, so you have like a hive mind kinda?” Ace asked interested.

“Sort of,” (name) agreed with a shrug, “Though we also each have our own personalities, powers, and ideas. There will be some clashes in every Coven so we’re obviously not perfectly in sync, but we have the same ideals and goals, which is what I think matters most.”

“Speaking of powers, anything you’d care to share?” Thatch asked enthusiastically from the front, walking backwards with his hands behind his head as he led the way across the lawn after exiting the dorm building heading towards the school.

“I think maybe you should just wait and see,” (name) told him with a smirk, “After all seeing is believing.”

“What you think we wouldn’t believe you?” Haruta asked surprised.

“Most don’t when it comes to me, and some of the others as well, we’re a bit of an odd bunch,” she admitted with a laugh.

“No kidding,” Nami piped up with a smirk at Perona and Alvida.

“Like you’re one to talk,” Perona sniffed haughtily, “At least my power is cute.”

“I think (name’s) is the most unbelievable power,” Caimie volunteered cheerfully, “Her, then maybe Perona, then Nami and Nojiko.”

“Agreed,” Alvida said with a smirk, “Didn’t you say you almost gave Headmistress Tsuru a heart attack when we finally figured out what you were?”

The other girls snickered, and Nami added, “Good times, good times.”

“Not my fault she couldn’t handle the shock,” (name) told them with a mysterious smile that sent all the girls giggling.

“I have the strangest feeling we’re missing something here ~yoi,” Marco said dryly.

(Name) grinned, “Don’t worry you’ll think it’s funny too when you figure it out.”

“Speaking of show and tell powers,” Ace said eagerly as the girl’s giggles tapered off, “How do you feel about a spar?”

“Me?” (name) asked surprised.

“Yeah if you don’t mind,” Ace told her his silver/grey eyes bright with interest.

“I don’t see why not, probably not tomorrow, since we’ve got to get stuff done, and probably not the day after since it’s the first day of class, but once we get settled I wouldn’t mind,” she mused thoughtfully, “I could use another sparring partner, actually all of us probably could, we’ve been a little lax on training lately getting ready for this big move.”

“Ugh training, so not cute,” Perona attempted with a grimace.

“And who was it that was whining the entire time we were moving things after retrieving them from storage again?” Alvida pointed out flatly.

“But sweaty and icky and gross!” Perona whined unhappily.

“And good for you,” (name) cut in sharply, “You can’t rely on just your powers Perona, and you know it. Besides, strong body, strong mind, strong bond, strong powers remember?”

“That’s an interesting philosophy,” Jozu said interestedly.

“It’s what Tsuru shouted at us during physical drills,” Nami winced, “(Name) liked it and took it for her own, and has been leading us under that philosophy among others.”

“Does it work?” Haruta asked a bit skeptically.

“Tsuru says our Coven and Hancock’s are the strongest Covens likely to have come out of Paradise in the last hundred years,” (name) told them with no small amount of pride in her small family, “And considering Hancock’s Coven has over a hundred members, to our ten, I’d certainly like to think so.”

“Impressive,” Izo told them raising an eyebrow, “Do you have specific training regimens then?”

“Not really specific no,” (name) told him with a shrug, “I insist all my girls have at least the basics in some form of hand-to-hand combat, a weapon they keep with them at all times, and their powers.”

“Wait you’re all carrying weapons like right now?” Thatch asked surprised, giving them all a thorough once over, “I don’t see anything. Ouch Marco what the hell?”

“Manners idiot, I know you have them in there somewhere ~yoi,” Marco informed him heaving an annoyed sigh.

“Right sorry,” Thatch apologized with a grimace, as the other girls giggled.

“I probably should’ve figured you’d look,” (name) told him amused, “So this time I guess don’t worry about it.”

“Anyway back to the sparring thing Ace, the answer is yes I’ll spar with you, sounds like fun, though we’ll probably have to start out pretty slow. I don’t want to accidentally hurt you or have you hurt me because we weren’t aware of each others capabilities,” she continued, redirecting the conversation back to its origin.

“Sounds fair,” he said with an eager grin, “I’ll even invite some friends if you want to make it a group thing.”

“Sure, but I think we’ll leave the spars one on one if you don’t mind, it would be better training that way for us,” she bargained.

“I’d be interested in some sparring,” Haruta piped up eagerly.

“I wouldn’t mind either,” Jozu said thoughtfully.

“Count me in!” Thatch agreed immediately.

“I suppose I could be persuaded,” Izo decided with a delicate shrug.

“Guess that leaves me as referee ~yoi,” Marco finished with an amused smile.

“Referee? You don’t want to spar?” Alvida asked curiously.

“Marco’s the strongest of us,” Ace explained easily, “Actually he might be the strongest in the school, kinda hard to say because his powers are such a cheat, either way no one really spars with him anymore.”

“My powers are a cheat?” Marco protested flatly, “Yours are just as bad!”

“Yeah but mine at least turn off,” Ace informed him with a smirk.

Anything that Marco might’ve said in response went unheard by her as they entered the school for the first time. It was pretty amazing, done in a way that reminded her of the pictures she’d seen of palaces and castles, with large sweeping staircases and beautiful arches.

It was open, bright and airy, with light in the form of large chandeliers, but also from an enormous skylight overhead through which she could see the last bits of color from the setting sun as evening was setting in.

“From what we’ve explored so far the first floor has the dining hall, the grand staircase, and some of the bigger lecture halls,” Izo explained taking on the role of tour guide from Thatch, “The second floor has the library, along with some of the combat classes that require more room The third through sixth floor have smaller sized classrooms for specialty work I assume, and the seventh floor has access to the towers and balconies, along with the potions class room.”

“It’s a good thing Tsuru told us we’d be getting maps sometime tomorrow otherwise we’d probably get thoroughly lost,” (Name) remarked glancing around, “Especially since I heard they were going to build all sorts of passages and secret trap doors and the like for protection against outside attacks.”

“That could be interesting, to go exploring for some of those,” Alvida mused thoughtfully.

“It’ll have to wait though,” Nami pointed out looking disappointed at the thought, “We still have too much to do tonight and tomorrow, and classes start fight after.”

“Yeah, but we can always do it later, we should definitely put it on the to do list, it could be tons of fun,” Caimie pointed out cheerfully.

“We should, my powers would be really good for that, but first can we find our way to some food?” Perona asked clutching her stomach, “My tummy’s rumbling, so not cute!”

“Right this way,” Thatch said eagerly, taking on the lead once more and veering towards the right, and walking through the enormous arch there. It was obvious someone had put some kind of sensory ward on the entrance way because as soon as they passed the arch the sounds of conversation, clattering utensils, and general activity reached their ears, along with the smell of food.

“Dining Hall is pretty much buffet style, and they actually have to go containers next to the food,” Thatch explained leading the way across the hall.

“That’s good, I’ll get some food for Koala,” she volunteered immediately.

“I’ve got Nojiko,” Nami claimed immediately.

“Robin isn’t too picky,” Alvida said with a shrug.

“Vivi’s good with me,” Perona chirped.

“And Kaya for me,” Caimie claimed cheerfully.

“Well that was easy enough, wish our brothers were that easy to get to agree ~yoi,” Marco said in an aside to Jozu who grinned and nodded.

“Food!” Ace exclaimed cheerfully, taking off for the buffet and leaving the group behind.

“Don’t mind him,” Thatch explained cheerfully, “He’s always like that, both him and his brothers. Completely obsessed the three of them. You can go ahead and go after him if you like, ladies first and all that.”

“Thanks,” the group chorused all tossing a beaming Thatch a smile.

As they got their food, (name) noticed that the dining hall was getting quieter, and quieter and it was making the back of her neck prickle uneasily. Glancing to the side, she saw Alvida and Nami had both noticed as well. 

Ahead of her Ace was pretty oblivious shoving as much food as he could carry on to his tray, but behind them, Marco, Izo, and Jozu had definitely noticed as well, seeing as all three were keeping an eye on the room behind them. By the time they’d retrieved their food the room was quiet and it was pretty obvious they were the center of attention.

“This way,” Thatch told them, though he seemed to have lost some of his cheer as he headed an empty table, even the more oblivious ones in the group couldn’t fail to notice the dead silence around.

“Should we be concerned?” (name) asked Marco in an undertone.

“I don’t think they’ll attack you,” he replied just as quietly, “At least not when you’re with us, we have a pretty strong reputation among the Warlocks from New World. Then again you never know what idiots will do.”

“I see, thank you,” she smiled though it felt a bit tight to her as she realized Thatch had chosen them a table where they could put at least some of their backs to the wall, with a quick signal Nami, Caimie and Alvida slid to the other side of the table where they’d be able to see out over the crowd while she and Perona took seats opposite them. 

Marco took the open seat to her right, and Ace to her left, with Perona to his left and Jozu at the end. Marco was facing Caimie, while she was opposite Izo, with Nami next to him then Thatch then Alvida then Haruta.

The atmosphere was tense as they quietly ate their food in terse silence, nothing like the easy conversation they’d been having on their way to the dining hall. Nami caught her eye and flicked her own upwards. Casually she set her fork down and turned to see a man standing there with several other people behind him.

“Something I can do for you?” she asked casually as she swung her legs out and around so she could be facing the man.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve coming in here Witch,” the man sneered angrily.

“Really? I only came to get food for myself and for my Coven at the invitation from a new friend, in our new school’s public dining hall. I don’t see anything particularly courageous about that,” she replied calmly.

“You froze me! Me and my men along with several others and you dare come here?” he demanded angrily. Attempting to loom over her.

Admittedly he was rather big, but only because he was about as wide as he was tall, with strange spikey purple hair and a metal jaw, and what looked to be a strange furry hippopotamus skin draped over his head and shoulders like a cape. Needless to say she wasn’t all that intimidated, especially since he’d readily admitted to being frozen by Hancock earlier.

“I think you’re having a case of mistaken identity, the one who froze you was Hancock, if you’re looking for an apology I’m afraid I can’t and won’t offer one as that’s her and her Covens business and not my own,” she informed him flatly.

“Do you know who I am?” the fat student demanded angrily, “I am King Wapol of Drum, and I will see you executed for this!”

“Drum, Drum, now why does that name sound familiar?” (name) asked thoughtfully tapping her finger on her chin.

“That would be that collapsing kingdom Vivi was telling us about, the one with the idiot monarch who decided to try to control access to healthcare by kicking out the doctors it used to be famous for,” Nami said with a grin, “She says it’s only a matter of time before either the Revolutionaries get to it, or the citizens revolt and have him deposed.”

“Ah that’s right,” she exclaimed in remembrance, “So you’re the idiot King.”

“Insolence!” the one to his right exclaimed. He was wearing what appeared to be some strange form of jester costume and had a bow strung on his back, “Shall I execute her your majesty?”

“Let me say it very clearly,” she interrupted before Wapol could reply pitching her voice so it would carry over the silent Dining Hall, “I had absolutely nothing to do with what Hancock did to a good majority of you earlier. I came here, expecting to make friends and allies, understanding I would likely also make enemies. A fair warning, if you attack me without good reason I will consider you my enemy.”

“Tch, stupid woman! Get her! Make an example so those stupid Witches know who they’re dealing with!” Wapol yelled angrily.

“Perona,” she ordered flatly.

“Ooh yay!” the girl cheered rising from her seat and floating in the air, “Negative hollow!”

Small ghosts spread from her fingertips giggling happily as they streaked forward and dove through Wapol and his men who all fell to their knees.

“I am a lowly worm, I am worse than a worm I am dirt, I am dirt made of worm poop,” Wapol moaned from his place on the ground as Perona giggled happily and the other girls and some of the males at the table snickered in amusement.

“The more ego they have the harder they fall,” Alvida remarked with a smirk of amusement.

(Name) rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her food, “Well done Perona, food always seems more enjoyable after a show.”

The other girls snickered and everyone turned back to their food, the men did the same, though they seemed to be glancing warily at Perona all the while who was looking very pleased with herself.

“That was quite the power,” Thatch remarked faux casual.

“Wasn’t it just?” Perona asked with a beaming smile, “That particular one is always such fun to use.”

“No kidding, people always say the most hilarious things,” Alvida put in with a savage grin.

“You think maybe that will make the rest back down?” Nami asked to the Warlocks at the table, “After all Perona, while one of the stronger Witches from Paradise isn’t actually the strongest in our Coven.”

“Oh?” Izo asked interestedly, playing along, knowing the room was listening in, “And who is then?”

“That would be me,” (name) admitted casually, “It only makes sense. I am the Coven leader after all.”

“Are others stronger than Perona?” Haruta asked knowing it would be the question on the minds of the other Warlocks blatantly eavesdropping.

“Nami is my right hand,” she told him without hesitation shooting a grin at the redhead who grinned back, “So she’s a step above the others while I’m a step above her.”

“Please, more like ten steps above her,” Alvida muttered under her breath, ignoring the look (name) sent her in response.

“Below Nami are Nojiko, Koala, and Robin who are all about the same level of strength despite having wildly different specialties, then it would be Perona, Alvida, and Caimie on the tier below them with all of them at about the same strength level as well,” she listed off on her fingers, ignoring Alvida’s interruption.

“Last tier would be Kaya and Vivi, mostly because they prefer healing over fighting though both would be exceptionally deadly with what they have if they did. Apparently healers know several hundred ways to easily kill a person, there’s no doubt in my mind the two of them have a couple hundred memorized for just in case, Vivi likes poisons after all and Kaya has a thing for pressure point therapy,” she explained with a shrug.

“That’s not at all disturbing,” Thatch informed her flatly.

“What can I say I prefer my Coven members strong, any of them could’ve taken that loser with ease, Perona’s way just meant less of a mess,” she told him with a shrug, “Unfortunately it seems a mess is necessary after all.”

So saying she reached behind her to grab the fist Wapol was aiming at the back of her head, and twisted. There was an audible snap and a howl of pain, as she reached back, grabbed his arm in both hands and levered him over her head, throwing him against the wall behind Izo who ducked, a bored expression on his face as the whale of a man hit the stone and left a nice big indentation.

“That was impressive ~yoi,” Marco announced calmly studying the obviously unconscious Wapol who had collapsed in a pile on the floor, “Was that all just upper body strength?”

“Nah, whale was too fat for that, and I spent a good chunk of my day lifting and hauling around upwards of a thousand pounds of luggage today. Armament Magics aren’t my best, but more than enough to reinforce the muscle for a nice toss,” she admitted with a shrug, “Technically speaking it’s Alvida or Koala you need to talk to for sheer physical strength.”

“Huh, good to know ~yoi,” he remarked casually and went back to eating. The entire table blatantly ignored Wapol’s little henchmen as they finally recovered from Perona’s little curse and scrambled around their boss, trying and failing to lift him to get him to a healer.

They finally managed to march him out of the hall on shaky legs as conversation finally started up again around them. No doubt they were now gossiping about her and what she’d done, but she didn’t particularly care at the moment, all she wanted was to finally be able to eat her meal in peace.

…~oO*Oo~…

Across the hall one of the Warlocks was practically beaming at the table with the Whitebeard pirates. The scratching sound of his bench alerted the others at his table as he stood eyes fixed on the prize.

“Where are you going?” one of his friends asked lazily from where he sat slumped over on the table taking a brief nap.

“I wanna meet them!” he replied eagerly.

“You can’t!” another of his friends chimed in anxiously, “She sent Wapol flying! You saw it, I saw it and not to mention what that strange pink haired girl did to him and his men!”

“That was funny,” the Warlock told him with a wide beaming grin.

“She might not be so bad,” yet another of his friends piped up hesitantly, “I mean Wapol isn’t very nice and he deserved what he got for trying to hurt her.”

“That’s right!” a blond friend agreed eagerly standing to join the first twirling around eagerly, “Such a brute should never have attacked such lovely ladies!”

“I’m in,” the skeletal friend agreed cheerfully, “Do you think if I asked nicely they’d let me see their panties?”

“Well if you’re all going then I’m Super coming too!” their cyborg friend joined immediately standing as well.

“Fine, guess that means we’re all going,” the first friend sighed with a yawn, standing up from his seat.

“I don’t want to go, I’ve got That-Witch-is-too-scary-for-me-itis,” the long nosed friend whimpered.

“Come on that’s not real, besides maybe she won’t be so bad,” the youngest of the group said climbing to his hooves.

“Alright let’s go!” their leader cheered eagerly, leading the way.

“Right behind you Luffy,” Zoro informed him with a sigh.

“Let’s meet those lovely ladies!” Sanji cheered practically dancing as he followed.

“I can’t wait to get a closer look at them, though I have no eyes to look with. Skull joke!” Brook exclaimed eagerly.

“I hope they’re really Super!” Franky exclaimed excitedly.

“Do you think their healers would be willing to talk to me?” Chopper asked hopefully.

“I don’t want some of us to be stone again,” Ussop whimpered unhappily, but followed after resigning himself to meeting the Witches, after all there was no changing Luffy’s mind once he had it set.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry it took so long for this update to come out! Life kind of got in the way and between work and running around like a headless chicken trying to get myself a new car I didn't have the time or energy to write. To make it up to you I'm thinking if I have time next week I'll post some previews on other things I'm working on! We'll just have to see!


	5. Chapter 5

“Incoming,” Alvida announced to the table at large.

“Again? Really? You Warlocks are either very confident, very brave or very stupid,” Perona informed the group at the table, “Either way so uncute.”

(Name) turned in her seat again to survey the incoming group with interest. It was quite varied, in both build and the weapons they appeared to favor, ranging from big and bulky, to slender and short, hell she was pretty sure one of them was a walking skeleton and another was some kind of animal.

Either way they looked to be a lot stronger than Wapol and his group, it was in the confident way they walked and the ease with which they interacted with each other as they approached, not at all on their guard or wary despite having seen both her and Perona prove they weren’t pushovers.

“Let me deal with them this time?” Alvida asked eagerly, her hand reaching for her weapon, “Since it seems Perona wasn’t enough to scare them off?”

“That probably won’t be necessary,” Izo spoke up before Perona could do more than shoot Alvida an annoyed look, “That one in the lead wearing the yellow hat? That’s Monkey D. Luffy, he’s Ace’s little brother and not likely to be hostile.”

“That and if you did try to fight him Ace would go on a rampage, he’s got the worst brother complex,” Haruta informed them with a smirk.

“I do not!” Ace snapped annoyed, apparently having finished his food.

“You do too,” every Warlock at the table countered in unison, with even Jozu and Marco joining in.

“Whatever,” Ace grumbled, a pink tinge creeping up his neck and spreading over his cheeks as he refused to look at any of them, “You guys just don’t understand how hard it is to look after Luffy. He’s trouble on wheels.”

“So true,” a new voice chimed in, making more than a few people at the table jump in surprise as a Warlock materialized sitting beside Ace.

He had dark blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, and was wearing a top hat and waistcoat, with a distinctive burn scar over his right eye, and looked completely at home, despite the fact that he had several weapons being pointed in his direction.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me!” Ace snarled in annoyance attempting to smack the blond in the head only to be deflected. 

“At least once more,” the newcomer told him with a cheeky grin, ducking another swipe, only to have Ace lunge at him. The two of them ended up rolling around on the floor for a minute before Luffy and his group arrived. The apparent leader of the group diving right in to the tangle of limbs on the floor to wrestle around as well as both groups looked on.

“I don’t understand,” Caimie informed the group at large, eyeing the tangle of limbs dubiously, “Is this something normal for Warlocks?”

“Please don’t judge us by those three hooligans,” Izo groaned covering his eyes in exasperation, “They were raised by animals… literally.”

“You always say the nicest things about us Izo,” the blonde one said, having successfully extracted himself from the pile, “But don’t worry I know you love us really.”

He completely ignored Izo’s baleful glare and turned to the group of Witches, ignoring the other Warlocks around, “Salutations! My name is Sabo, I’m Ace’s brother.”

“I’m (name),” she introduced accepting his offered hand and raising a brow in surprise as he bent and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Deciding it was probably best to just roll with things for now she continued, “And these are my Coven sisters, Nami, Alvida, Perona and Caimie.”

“I’m Monkey D. Luffy!” the one Izo’d pointed out chimed in, from his place trapped in a headlock under Ace’s arm, “I’m Ace’s brother too!”

He wriggled his way free and beamed at them before gesturing to each of the Warlocks who’d followed him over, “And these are my friends, Zoro is the one with green hair, Sanji has the curly eyebrow, Franky is the cyborg, Chopper is the reindeer, Brook is the skeleton and the one hiding with the long nose is Ussop!”

“Nice to meet you,” (name) said though it came out more like a question than she intended taken aback by Luffy’s exuberance.

“Don’t worry,” Marco assured her quietly enough that only she could hear, “Everyone feels that way when they meet him for the first time ~yoi.”

“You better not be talking about my brother,” Ace informed them a slightly defensive tinge to his voice as he looked suspiciously at the two of them arms crossing over his chest, 

Thatch coughed something that sounded suspiciously like ‘brother complex’ but was saved from Ace’s wrath as a blonde tornado spun forward, pushing Sabo out of his way as he took her hand and went down on one knee.

“Blessed is this day, for upon this day mine eyes have seen she who must be an angel brought to earth by means yet unknown to we mere mortals, speak lovely angel that I may hear your heavenly voice,” he crooned at her happily. She could practically see the hearts his eyes were emitting as he stared up at her in sheer adoration.

She glanced around beseechingly wondering if this strange guy was for real, and if he would please let go of her hand. Nami and Alvida looked like they were about to die trying to hold in their laughter, and Perona and Caimie looked just as baffled as she felt.

With no help forthcoming from her Coven she instead turned to Marco, only to find him looking at his fellow blond, a skeptical and completely unimpressed look on his face.

“Um hello?” she asked completely baffled at this strange Warlock’s behavior, “You’re Sanji right?”

“I am he!” he told her rapturously, “Let me be the first to offer my every service to you. I shall eagerly be your champion so that you should never need to sully these lovely hands with the likes of Wapol’s filth ever again.”

“I erm appreciate the offer, but I prefer to fight my own battles,” she told him after a moment to work through his flowery language, “Though I don’t mind allies or friends.”

“To be counted amongst the allies of such a lovely woman would be my greatest pleasure,” he replied rapturously.

“Oy pervy-cook you aren’t allowed to just go allying yourself with random Witches without permission from the group,” the green haired one, Zoro, snapped annoyed.

“I’ll ally myself with any beautiful lady that I like stupid moss ball!” Sanji declared releasing her hand to turn and face his friend angrily.

“You wanna go dartboard brow?” Zoro asked his hands falling to his waist where he appeared to be carrying three swords instead of the normal one or two.

“Any time any place moss ball!” Sanji snarled shifting his weight on to one leg and taking up a unique looking fighting stance. The sound of laughter interrupted their spat and everyone turned to look at Luffy who was looking at the baffled (name).

“It’s fine Zoro,” he told the swordsman with a beaming grin, “I don’t mind being allies with (name) and her friends.”

“You don’t?” Ace asked surprised.

“I like you, so let’s be friends okay?” Luffy asked extending his hand to hers.

(Name) studied him a minute, taking in the wide, but sincere smile, and the way his dark eyes glinted, almost in challenge, waiting to see what she would do. However she’d never backed down from a challenge in her life and she wasn’t about to start now.

“Friends,” she agreed firmly taking his hand and allowing the firm shake, as his eyes twinkled in approval.

“What just like that?” Nami asked surprised.

“I think,” (name) began slowly trying to find the right words, “That being allies with Luffy and his friends will be good for us. We were looking for allies after all, and I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

“Not allies,” Luffy insisted firmly, “Friends.”

“Friends,” (name) echoed in agreement. Casting a meaningful glance at her second in command. 

Because of the way her powers worked she relied a lot on gut instinct and intuition, which sometimes drove the more intellectual members of her Coven crazy, especially when she did things for what seemed like no good reason.

She wasn’t normally one to trust easily, but for some reason her gut said Luffy was one of the good ones. She wasn’t sure if it was the D. in his name or something else, but Luffy was definitely going places. Something told her it would be good for her Coven to be aligned with his.

“I see,” Nami replied shrewdly. Glancing between the two of them and giving a nod, “Well then it’s nice to meet you Luffy, and the rest of you as well.”

“It’s always a pleasure to meet such divine goddesses,” Sanji told her practically leaping over the table to take Nami’s hand in his, much to her consternation.

“Is he always like that?” Alvida asked flatly.

“The cook is a pervert simple as that,” Zoro retorted equally dryly.

“It’s not perverse! It’s called chivalry, you should try it some time directionless Moss Ball!” Sanji snapped back immediately.

“Ah Sanji why does he keep calling you a cook?” Caimie asked interestedly, interrupting Zoro’s retort.

“Sanji makes the best food ever!” Luffy butt in eagerly, “It’s one of his specialties.”

“Really?” Caimie asked with a bright smile, “That’s wonderful! My Hatchin cooks too, he specializes in Takoyaki.”

“Hatchin?” the one called Ussop blurted dubiously, having inched his way out from hiding behind the bulk of his friend Franky.

“It’s Caimie’s little nickname for her boyfriend Hatchi,” Perona explained brightly, “It’s totally cute.”

“Hatchi,” Luffy tapped his chin confused, “I feel like maybe I know that guy and the Takoyaki sounds familiar.”

“He’s the Octopus based fishman Warlock you like to beg Takoyaki off of that Zoro spars sometimes,” the little reindeer, Chopper explained helpfully.

“Oh yeah, his Takoyaki is the best!” Luffy chirped eagerly.

“It is isn’t it?!” Caimie agreed eagerly, wearing the same lovesick expression on her face she always did when it came to talking about her boyfriend.

“Isn’t Hatchi a fishman?” Haruta asked curiously, and was surprised as the Witches nearly as one went cold, all five of them turning icy gazes on him.

“Is that a problem?” it was actually Caimie who asked her sweet voice cold as ice.

“Not at all,” Haruta immediately backtracked hands raised in surrender, “I have a brother who’s a fishman I was just curious is all. They don’t tend to like humans very much, which was why I asked.”

“Oh, that’s cuz I’m not human,” Caimie admitted back to her cheerful attitude so quickly it nearly made his head spin.

“You look human,” Jozu pointed out reasonably.

“That’s true, but I’m actually mermaid, my tail is just split, and covered by my pants see,” she told them kicking off her shoes to wave her tailfins at them under the table.

“Aren’t you a little young to have your tail split?” the Cyborg Franky asked, his voice filled with concern, “My Aunt Kokoro is a mermaid and she Super said that they don’t normally split until late twenties at the earliest.”

“I’m an early bloomer,” Caimie told them cheerfully, “And a bit of a freak.”

“Caimie,” the word was sharp and cracked over the table like a whip, and everyone turned their attention to (name) who was frowning sternly, “How many times do I have to tell you not to call yourself that.”

“You’re not a freak you’re special,” Perona told her, ghosting over and wrapping her in an affectionate hug, “And so, so, so cute!”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Caimie told her smiling a bit tearily and hugging Perona back as the other three girls glared daggers around the table daring them to say something, luckily not even Luffy was that dense.

“Now that we’re friends, would you be willing to show me your panties?” the living skeleton Brook asked politely, effectively breaking the tension.

“Hell no!” Nami and Alvida shouted in unison, their hands going for their weapons immediately.

“Oh how violent,” Brook mourned backing down immediately.

A slight tugging on her pants had (name) glancing down in surprise to see the animal Luffy had called Chopper staring up at her hopefully, “Excuse me, I was wondering if I could talk to your healers? I’m studying to become a doctor.”

“We don’t really have time for them to get caught up in an extended chat right now,” she told him, but quickly backtracked when she saw how utterly dejected he looked in the face of her refusal, “But you could maybe talk to them this weekend? I think that’s when we’ll be wanting to do our spars with Ace and these guys, and whoever else Ace brings, but you’re more than welcome to come along and help patch everyone up at the end?”

“Really?” Chopper asked with a bright heartwarming smile.

“Really,” she promised seriously trying not to coo at the Warlock who despite being tiny and adorable probably wouldn’t appreciate that at all, though he did seem awfully young.

“You’re sparring with Ace?” Sabo asked interestedly.

“I am yes, we hadn’t really confirmed when or where yet, but I was thinking the first weekend after classes would be good, it would give us all some time to get settled in. Ace, Haruta, Izo, Thatch and Jozu all agreed to spar, he just needs to find me five more for one on one fights for each of my Coven members,” she explained glancing at Ace.

“Saturday sounds good to me,” he agreed with an eager smile, “You in Sabo?”

“I could use a good workout,” the blond agreed immediately with a ready smile. 

“How about you Lu?” Ace prompted glancing at his other brother.

Luffy’s mouth popped open in what was doubtless going to be an enthusiastic agreement, but then paused and grimaced instead, “Can’t. Gramps said no fighting or destroying anything outside of class for the first month of school or he’d take all the meat away.”

Both Ace and Sabo winced in sympathy. She’d seen the way Ace had piled his plate with basically every meat item on the buffet and knew if his brothers were the same it was actually a pretty harsh and effective punishment, which prompted her to ask, “Why would he do that?”

“Lu, well, he tends to get a little destructive when he fights even when it’s just a spar,” Ace explained hesitantly rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

“A bit hypocritical if you ask me, he probably just did it because Sengoku threatened to take his rice crackers again,” Sabo pointed out patting Luffy on the back sympathetically as he pouted unhappily.

“Wait Sengoku? Your grandfather knows the principal well enough for the principal to threaten him?” Nami asked curiously.

“Only cuz he’s the Vice principal,” Ace admitted with a frown, “shitty geezers should’ve stayed in retirement but both of them got picked to help ‘keep the young Witches and Warlocks in order’. The request came straight from the Elder Council otherwise they probably would’ve refused, now we’re stuck with him.”

“Having relatives as teachers sucks,” Nami sympathized with a wince.

“Aw come on Nami, Bellemere wasn’t that bad,” (name) said with a teasing grin on her face.

“You only say that because she likes you,” Nami informed her, annoyed.

“Hey now, don’t be jealous just because I’m the favorite child,” (name) told her with a smirk.

“Yeah, yeah whatever,” Nami told her with a fond smile.

“Speaking of Nami’s family,” Alvida put in, “Nojiko and the others are going to murder us if we don’t get back with their food soon, plus we still have things to be finishing up tonight.”

(Name) grimaced but nodded in acknowledgment, and stood the rest of her Coven standing with her, all picking up the food they’d grabbed for their fellow Coven members earlier.

“We’ll walk you back ~yoi,” Marco offered, standing as well.

“We can all go! I want to keep talking to my new friends,” Luffy insisted firmly.

“Are you sure?” (Name) asked surprised, “We wouldn’t want to put you out.”

“We’re friends,” Luffy insisted firmly, “Friends walk together.”

“I actually have to meet up with some of my allies,” Sabo told them apologetically, “But first…”

“I’d like to offer your group my friendship, it would just be me, not any of my allies, at least not until I talk to them about it but since you’re Luffy’s friends I’d like to make you my friends as well, especially since we’re sparring Saturday,” he told her formally, offering his hand once more.

She accepted without hesitation, shaking it firmly, “I think it would be our pleasure to be your friend Sabo, it was wonderful to meet you.”

Sabo offered her a grin, tipped his hat and left heading back towards a different table of the Dining Hall as their group made their way towards the doors.

“Speaking of those spars of yours. I wouldn’t mind joining in if you were still looking for people,” Zoro offered.

“It’s alright with me if you’re up for it (name),” Ace told her with a shrug when she looked at him in askance.

“Sure, that should be fine,” she told him offering a smile, “That just leaves us three more spots to fill right? Any of you down for sparring?”

“I don’t kick ladies as a rule,” Sanji told them immediately, “But I’d love to provide refreshments for you lovely Coven.”

“Hey! What about us? Do we not get refreshments?” Ussop whined unhappily.

“Are you fighting?” Sanji asked flatly.

“You know the Great Warlock Ussop prefers to observe before engaging,” the long nosed man immediately backtracked unhappily.

“Then no refreshments for you,” Sanji informed him annoyed.

“But Sanji!” Luffy whined unhappily, “I can’t fight but I want food too.”

“No means no,” Sanji retorted firmly.

“I’m not sure I’d feel right eating in front of hungry people,” Caimie told them hesitantly, “So you could maybe have mine?”

“That’s not necessary Caimie,” Sanji told her immediately doing a one eighty, “I’ll make enough for everybody.”

“Stupid love cook,” Zoro muttered rolling his eyes, “She has a boyfriend lay off.”

“What was that?” Sanji retorted fuming, “You think I would infringe on sweet Caimie’s honor is such a way?”

“I think a spar would be Super,” Franky interjected, cutting off the two feuding Warlocks in what (name) was beginning to see as a regular occurrence, “Count me in for sparring.”

“I’d rather just talk to your healers and fix everyone up if you don’t mind,” Chopper asked hesitantly.

“That’s fine Chopper,” Nami immediately reassured him, apparently not immune to his cuteness either, “No one has to fight if they don’t want to.”

“In that case I too will decline,” Brook told them politely, “I would much rather observe and perhaps compose a ditty or two.”

“That just leaves us with two more spots to fill, which shouldn’t be a problem,” Ace mused, “We have plenty of allies and I’m sure a couple will be itching for a fight.”

“Just make sure they aren’t wanting to turn a friendly spar into a grudge match, I have no interest in trying to contain our allies if they try to get too aggressive ~yoi,” Marco warned him.

“Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind,” Ace said seriously as they made their way slowly towards the dormitories.

“Anyway I hope you don’t mind, but I’m not going to offer to be your friend just yet, sure Lu’s got good judgment but I like to make my own calls you know, so I’m gonna put it off until at least our spar on Saturday,” Ace told her casually.

“That’s fine,” she told him with a shrug, “Normally I’m not one to make snap judgments on allies like that either, not when the safety of my Coven is on my shoulders. Though now you’ve got me interested, does that mean I can only be your friend if I win?”

“Oh? You think you can win?” Ace challenged a reckless grin on his face, “I’ll have you know I’m no pushover! I’m not considered the second strongest of Whitebeard’s sons for nothing you know!”

“Wait what?” (name) asked baffled stopping in her tracks and forcing everyone around her to stop as well lest they run into her, “You’re one of Whitebeard’s?”

“We all are,” Haruta told her confused, “Me, Ace, Marco, Jozu and Izo. Did you not know?”

“Seriously?” Nami asked shooting (name) a look that was both fond and frustrated, “Do you not pay any attention to anything outside our Coven? Did you not notice the huge mark on Ace’s back?”

“Mark?” she repeated feeling a bit like a parrot.

Ace shot her an amused look and turned so he had his back towards her, revealing a tattoo that she recognized as the symbol of one of the greatest Warlocks of their time taking up the majority of his back.

“Huh, well damn,” she remarked feeling a bit off-kilter.

“How could you not notice?” Nami asked baffled, “That thing is huge!”

“Excuse me but I was a little too preoccupied with the front to look at his back,” (name) snapped annoyed.

Next to her Nami choked in surprise as around her both the Warlocks and her Coven members howled in laughter, with the exception of Ace who was staring at her with a slightly shell shocked look on his face.

“That’s not what I meant damn it!” she protested trying to fight off the blush that was threatening to take over her face, “I meant I was talking to him, and he didn’t have his back to me.”

“Not that you aren’t attractive or whatever,” she hastily assured Ace who was still looking rather surprised, “And you know what I’m just going to stop before I dig myself any deeper and I want you to know that you all suck.”

That said she started moving forward again, grabbing Ace’s arm to make him walk with her, and forcing all the others to stop laughing and move to catch up with them.

“So you really didn’t know?” Ace asked as it seemed the others were too breathless to ask at the moment.

“No I didn’t and I don’t care either, I’m still going to kick your ass on Saturday,” she informed him blackly.

He barked a laugh, both incredulous and pleased, “You’re so on!”

“So wait does that mean you didn’t recognize Marco’s mark either?” Jozu asked, as the first one to regain his breath.

“Yeah (name) I mean that one’s even on his front so you don’t have any excuses,” Alvida told her with a snicker.

“Firstly because unlike you Bwitches I don’t spend my time ogling every good looking shirtless guy that walks past me, Secondly pretty sure Marco’s tattoo is much more stylized,” she informed them haughtily.

“You just keep telling yourself that,” Nami told her amused.

“I will,” (name) informed her sticking her nose in the air with a pretentious sniff.

The rest of the walk back was filled with casual talk about what they expected in classes during the first week, and exchanging information on the teachers that had come from the different schools.

Apparently Luffy and Ace’s gramps was going to not only be Vice Principal, but also be helping out in some of the combat classes. Both Warlocks had given them several warnings on the formidable man, and they’d all decided to behave with caution, lest they earn the apparently legendary ‘fist of love.’

They also tried to warn the witches about Chopper’s adopted mom Kureha who was apparently the Queen of Blackmail, though it was done discreetly to spare Chopper’s feelings.

In turn they warned the Warlocks about Tsuru, who was about as tough as tough could get. She may look like somebody’s sweet grandmother, but she’d beat you down, wring you out, and hang you up to dry if you took her too lightly.

Her and their extremely crazy sex magic teacher Sadie, who was known for liking BDSM a little bit too much, and often moaned erotically during her lectures who liked to trick students into ‘demonstrating’ which would sound easy enough but could end up pretty painful for the unfortunate volunteer.

By the time they reached their floor they’d settled into easy conversation and she was glad they’d taken Marco up on his offer. They’d made their first allies in Luffy and his friends, plus Sabo, and looked to be on their way to adding more, if things continued to go well between them and Whitebeard’s sons.

“Thanks for showing us to dinner,” she offered with a grin as they reached their hallway, “And for walking us back.”

“Not a problem ~yoi” Marco assured her with an easy smile, “I think we learned a lot about each other, plus it was entertaining.”

“True,” she told him, “We should do it again.”

“Tomorrow for lunch?” he offered immediately.

“Done,” she replied with a grin, “I’ll try to bring everyone this time so no one misses out.”

“Yeah!” Luffy agreed cheerfully, “I can introduce you guys to some of my other friends. I think you’ll like Tarao and his friends.”

“Sure Luffy,” she told him with a grin, “I think we’d like that a lot.”

“See everyone tomorrow say noon-ish?” she offered as they paused at Luffy’s groups door.

Everyone nodded affirmative and the group split up again for the night, heading to their respective rooms.

…~oO*Oo~…

“Well?” Marco asked not even surprised that his brothers had arrayed themselves on the furniture and left his chair empty for him as they got ready to discuss the events of the evening.

“I liked them,” Thatch volunteered immediately, “They seemed a bit formal at first, but they definitely loosened up and I liked the way they explained their bonds and the way they interacted, both with each other and with us.”

“Do you think she really didn’t know about us being Whitebeard’s sons?” Izo asked shrewdly.

“I do,” Jozu put forward immediately, “She was really flustered, and while her face didn’t flush the back of her neck and the tips of her ears did. She was pretty embarrassed I think, though she took the teasing well enough.”

Izo nodded satisfied, “I thought so too I just wanted another opinion. I like that nothing changed after she figured it out too.”

“So what do you think?” Haruta asked eagerly, “Worthy allies?”

“I’d like to meet and get to know the rest of them, before making anything official, but I wouldn’t mind being allied with them,” Jozu said reasonably.

“You’re being awfully quiet over there Ace, got nothing to say?” Thatch asked curiously.

“I already said what I thought and that I’d wait to make up my mind until after the spar Saturday remember?” Ace pointed out.

“Yeah but what are your impressions for now did you like them?” Thatch pushed interested at Ace’s reticence.

“Yeah I liked her,” Ace told them with a shrug.

“Her?” Izo asked latching on to the word and sitting forward with interest.

“Them! I meant them!,” Ace corrected giving Izo a warning look, “Besides I wouldn’t make any moves on Marco’s girl.”

“Why not?” Thatch asked eagerly, “The three of you could be an interesting triad!”

“Thatch drop it,” Marco protested firmly, moving in to save Ace who was starting to clash with his hat, “And Ace she isn’t my girl, she isn’t anyone’s and that wasn’t the point of this discussion anyway.”

“So what do you think then Marco?” Izo asked interestedly, “Think Pops would approve?”

“I’m with Ace and Jozu on this one, let’s wait and see before we make any formal offers of alliance, especially since we only got to talk to half of them tonight,” Marco answered seriously.

“Fine, be no fun,” Thatch told him sulking, “Better make an offer soon though before someone makes them a better one or they get too close to Luffy and his group.”

Marco rolled his eyes at his overly dramatic brother and ended their little meeting, privately wondering if maybe Thatch was right, and if they shouldn’t offer an alliance sooner than later. His instincts said he should, but despite being a Zoan type Warlock he wasn’t about to go on instinct alone, and his head said to wait, so wait he would.

…~oO*Oo~…

In a room a couple of doors down the hall the Strawhats were having a similar meeting to the Whitebeards.

“I don’t get it Luffy why offer to be friends right away?” Ussop asked nervously, “Couldn’t you have waited a little longer to make sure they weren’t crazy like that Hancock woman? It took us hours to get Brook, Sanji and Franky unfrozen again!”

“Hancock was funny huh?” Luffy asked seemingly oblivious to Ussop’s concerns, “And I liked (name) so I decided we should be friends.”

“But what did you like?” Ussop pressed annoyed.

“What’s not to like?” Sanji asked lighting a cigarette and opening the window so he could smoke, “They were all beautiful!”

“You would care about nothing but looks,” Zoro answered derisively.

“It’s about more than just looks, it was eloquence and deadly grace…” Sanji began to argue hotly.

“I think that Luffy’s instincts are pretty Super,” Franky told them, “But I’d like to get to know them better before we make any decisions.”

“They smelled nice,” Chopper put in, “And they weren’t afraid of me or Brook, (name) was really nice to me too.”

“Yohoho they didn’t let me see their panties, but Chopper is right they weren’t afraid or unkind to me,” Brook mused.

“Not that it matters,” Zoro told them with a sigh, “Luffy’s made up his mind, and nothing’s going to change it. Right Luffy?”

“Yep we’re friends, (name) agreed and everything,” Luffy told them solemnly.

“Right, so it’s settled, and you’ll just have to deal with it Ussop,” Zoro informed him firmly.

“I thought you were on my side!” Ussop protested unhappily.

“Do I think Luffy made a snap judgment before getting to know the witches? Yes absolutely, but he’s never been wrong before so…” he trailed off and shrugged.

The others nodded in agreement and Luffy just laughed, “Don’t worry! We’re gonna be great friends I know it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys sorry for the wait! I got a little distracted by some other stories! Stories that I will be posting shortly after updating all of these, so if you've got the time and inclination please check them out! :)  
> Also I've made myself a tumblr account under the same name EvenescentTranquility, mostly so I can tumblr stalk some of my favorite authors, but if you've got questions, comments, critiques, suggestions, or just want to be friends, feel free to hit me up over there. If people are interested enough I might even post previews of things over there :).


	6. Chapter 6

Stepping back into their rooms (name) was surprised and impressed with the amount of work the witches left behind had managed to accomplish. She inspected the staircase as the others began to eat and talk about what had happened at dinner. It was a pretty thing, made of wrought iron and tucked into the corner of the room.

Making her way up the stairs she saw that it had already been opened out on to the roof, the opening protected by some quickly thrown together spells that would protect it from being spotted. 

Curious she made her way up there and gasped at what she saw. It was an amazing view from here, with the sun setting in the distance behind the school, lighting the sky with fiery reds, gold, yellows, and pinks. She could see the entirety of the school grounds from here, noting the moving specks that were probably people or animals roaming the grounds.

Around the open grounds the forest loomed, it’s trees a dark emerald nearly black in the fading light. In the distance she could see the mountains in one direction, and if she looked carefully she could see glimpses of an enormous lake in the other. It was truly stunning.

Tearing her gaze away from the grounds she inspected the work they’d done up here, all of it was fairly discreet and would continue to be until they got the wards up to hide their section of roof from other people. However she could still see the discreet markers that indicated where the observatory, garden, and ritual circle were going to be laid out.

It was an extremely large space, as they’d essentially claimed an eighth of the roof, but it needed to be to fit everything they wanted. Taking one last moment to breathe in the cooling night air she headed back down the steps to find all her Coven looking at her.

“So (name) I hear you met another handsome Warlock whose ‘front’ distracted you so much you didn’t notice the huge ass tattoo on his back,” Nojiko offered with a smirk, breaking the silence.

(Name) groaned in annoyance, shooting a glare at Nami, Alvida and Perona, any of whom could’ve spilled to the group, “Yes, okay he was good looking but it wasn’t because he was good looking that I didn’t notice the tattoo alright? He just never had his back to me.”

“How good looking?” Koala prompted eagerly, “Like scale of one to ten?”

“That one was a fifteen easily,” Alvida said with a smirk before (name) had the chance to say anything, “He was smokin’ hot and bonus points for no shirt.”

“If you thought he was attractive, maybe you should be trying to get with him and not me,” (name) pointed out grumpily.

“Oh no, it was pretty obvious that one only had eyes for you, after all you didn’t see him asking any of us for a spar,” Alvida pointed out smugly.

“He only asked because I’m the Coven leader and he wanted to fight the strongest one,” she pointed out reasonably.

“Sure he did,” Nami acknowledged with a shrug, “Doesn’t mean he isn’t looking forward to it more because he likes you.”

“I’m so proud of our (name) two boys in one day,” Nojiko teased wiping fake tears from her eyes.

“Three if you count the curly-eyebrow blond,” Perona chimed in with a laugh.

“Please don’t,” (name) begged, “I get the feeling Sanji’s like that with everyone, plus he wasn’t really my type. In fact now that I’m thinking about it, he flirted with Nami too, and he was much more up her alley than mine.”

“Oh really?” Robin asked intrigued, “So he’s the biddable type is he?”

Nami sputtered in embarrassment and offered the room a glare, for their teasing. However (name) knew she was right, Nami liked to be able to boss her men around, and frankly Sanji seemed like he liked to take orders, at least from pretty women, from men probably not so much.

“They told us you met that vulgar King Wapol,” Vivi announced, effectively saving Nami from further teasing, “I’m glad you taught him a lesson, father really hates him, but because of the diplomatic relations that he has he isn’t allowed to do or say anything about him. He’ll get a kick out of knowing you threw him into a wall.”

The group giggled at that, all of them liked Vivi’s father King Cobra. He was a kind and generous man, and they’d spent more than a little time hanging out in his Kingdom as Vivi’s guests at the palace.

“They also mentioned our new allies, you sure made a lot of them,” Kaya commented impressed.

“Technically speaking I think we’re only allied with Luffy’s group of warlocks and his brother Sabo,” she told them with a shrug, “Whitebeard’s boys were kind enough, but Ace said he wouldn’t offer a personal alliance until after our spar on Saturday and nothing was said about a group alliance.”

“Whitebeard and his sons have a lot of influence on the world, it could just be that they’re cautious about making new allies, after all we haven’t known them for even a day yet,” Robin pointed out reasonably, “I think this Luffy might be somewhat of an anomaly and his brothers are apparently following his lead in this.”

“You’re right of course,” (name) acknowledged with a sigh, “Luffy is an interesting character, but I think he’s also a good person.”

“I for one am looking forward to that group spar you arranged on Saturday, and to see what some of our new allies can do,” Koala told her with a grin, “It’s been forever since we sparred new people, and I think the reactions to our abilities are going to be pretty awesome.”

“I think they’ll probably be pretty strong too,” Kaya pointed out biting her lip slightly in worry, “I mean half of them are Whitebeard’s sons.”

“Don’t worry Kaya, we’ll still kick ass,” Alvida assured her.

“Do we even know anything about their abilities?” Vivi asked curiously.

“They said the green haired one sparred with my Hatchin sometimes and he was carrying three swords,” Caimie volunteered.

“Luffy introduced the blue haired one as a cyborg, so that might be pretty interesting,” Nami added in.

“The blonde one Sabo, appeared at our table out of nowhere, like he was invisible, he startled me, it was so not cute,” Perona informed them frowining.

“Other than that I don’t think we have much, other than that Jozu guy is muscle on top of muscle,” Alvida offered with a shrug.

“It will be tough I think, but we’ll just have to go out and do our best, strong or not, no way am I planning to lose,” (name) told them firmly.

There were general nods of agreement from the Coven who were looking as determined as she felt, and she smiled, knowing they weren’t going to like what she was going to say next, “Alright, looks like we’re done eating. I want to wait until a few hours after dark to do our warding on the roof, but we still have lots to do, including the unpacking in our rooms to make sure we have somewhere to sleep tonight. That means all of us get to start unpacking, and no magic, we need to conserve that for later.”

There were general groans and some muttered complaints, but for the most part everyone complied without issue, climbing to their feet and heading to their designated rooms, including her. Glancing around at the suitcases and furniture she heaved a sigh, it was going to be a long night.

…~oO*Oo~…

She’d woken the next morning the sound of her alarm, and slowly stumbled her way to the bathroom, and into the shower. She had been right, it had been an extremely long night, with none of them getting to bed until past three in the morning. They’d gotten it done though, the area was warded off, and they’d even tested, no one could tell it was there unless they were on the inside of the ward. It had been some pretty impressive work. Unfortunately it was also draining work, which meant they’d all gone to sleep with their magic stores running on empty.

This meant that all of them were going to be exceedingly cranky today, draining magic like that and then sleeping did restore the magic levels, but it also meant you woke up with what was essentially a hangover.

After all of that yesterday she would’ve liked to have slept in, and slept it off but unfortunately they’d promised to meet up with Luffy’s group and Whitebeard’s sons at noon, that combined with the fact that they had a lot to get done today saw her rising at nine o’clock, with just over five hours of sleep with the hangover from hell.

No one else was probably awake yet, so after throwing on some nice jeans and a T-shirt that read “Here there be Bwitches” she kept her unpacking to her room, trying to get the finishing touches done, so that she wouldn’t have to worry about it later. Unfortunately considering all they had to get done today she kept it magic free as she unpacked.

A soft knock on the door, had her pausing and glancing over in surprise. Kaya was standing there, a tired look on her face, but with a vial of glowing green liquid in her hands, that she instantly recognized.

“You are a goddess,” (name) told her healer Coven member reverently, accepting the potion and downing it in one gulp, sighing in relief as the pounding in her temples faded away, and energy surged through her again.

“How long have you been awake?” she asked the other girl once she was thinking clearly again.

“Not too long,” Kaya told her with a smile, “Just long enough to shower, dress and dig a batch of these out of my stuff. I’m glad I had the forethought to pack some.”

“Me too,” (name) told her fervently, “Are any of the others up yet?”

“Nojiko is,” Kaya answered with a smile, “She’s up on the roof planning out our garden, and I think Caimie, Vivi and Robin are up too, I heard noises behind their doors anyway, so I was going to check on them after I finished checking in on you.”

“Thank you,” (name) told her with a grin, “Tell them if they’re awake they have until eleven thirty to work on whatever they’d like, but remind them we’re meeting the warlocks at noon, also tell them that anything in their rooms that doesn’t get done this morning will have to be done sometime during the week unless we finish the communal rooms early today.”

“You are a cruel, cruel woman,” Kaya told her shaking her head in admiration at the ‘punishment’ the others would receive for sleeping in, grinning in amusement.

“I do try, besides I don’t want to be awake anymore than they do,” she pointed out reasonably. Kaya just laughed and left to see who else was awake and distribute more of her amazing potion.

(Name) turned back to her room, and her things, grabbing the rest of her bathing things, and moving to unpack them in the bathroom she’d be sharing with Nami, smirking to herself as she stole all the best spots for her bathing and beauty products knowing it would drive her friend up the wall.

Unfortunately for Nami, the two of them had been sharing a room since they started school, and they had a rule. Whoever unpacked first got priority in where and how their stuff got arranged. This was to keep the two of them from squabbling over it, and encourage them to get unpacked quickly.

Finished she glanced around at both her bedroom and bathroom. Everything was pretty much done. All her photos and art were up on the walls, her faery lights were hung around the room, her bed was made complete with her huge mound of pillows, all her clothes were put away, books were on the shelf, and knick-knacks placed carefully.

Pleased she glanced at the clock and noted it was now eleven thirty, just half an hour before they had to go meet the Warlocks. Moving out into the shared living space she tried and failed not to groan at the sight of boxes upon boxes that would need to be unpacked today.

Glancing around she noted others had slowly migrated into the room. Robin was leaning against the wall, eyes ostensibly shut with what looked like a cup of coffee in her hands, though where she’d gotten it (name) didn’t have a clue. Koala was lying on the floor, sprawled out on the carpet absently doodling on a large sketchpad. Vivi and Kaya were chatting quietly in a corner, and Caimie was sitting braced against a bunch of boxes, slowly dozing off if they way her head kept jerking was any indication.

As she watched Alvida came stumbling into the room, looking absolutely exhausted, her hair in complete disarray. Even as she watched the dark haired girl nearly went sprawling, before apparently deciding to give up on life and just drop to the floor where she lay with her head on her arms, until Kaya took pity on her and brought her a dose of potion.

That just left Nami and Perona. Somehow she wasn’t surprised it was those two that were still asleep. Heaving a sigh, she gestured for Nojiko to wake Nami, and slowly made her way over to Perona’s door. There she knocked loudly, only to receive no answer. She knocked again, “Perona! Get up! We’re meeting the warlocks in half an hour, you need to get ready!”

No response. Completely unamused she tried the handle and was surprised to find it unlocked. Inside the room Perona’s bed was unmade and un-slept in. Concerned she glanced around, weaving her way through boxes and suitcases until she found the target of her quest. A quiet snort of laughter left her lips before she could stop it. Luckily Perona didn’t move an inch. Slowly backing out of the room she headed to hers to grab the phone she’d left on her nightstand.

“(Name) what are you doing? I thought you were waking Perona?” Caimie asked confused.

“Oh I am,” she told her with a smirk, “But not before I get some blackmail.”

“Blackmail?” Nojiko asked interestedly, and she could see Alvida had perked up as well, though Kaya and Vivi were just shaking their heads at them in amusement and exasperation.

“Follow me, but keep quiet,” she warned gesturing for them to come with as she reentered Perona’s room. All of them, including Vivi and Kaya followed curiously.

Upon finally spotting Perona, Alvida immediately clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from guffawing too loudly and waking her, as (name) whipped her phone out to take pictures. Even Kaya and Vivi were giggling at their friend’s predicament.

Apparently Perona had decided to forego the bed last night and instead sleep on her stuffed animals last night. However sometime during the night she must’ve sunk because all that was visible of her was her face an d one leg, sticking up at a strange angle that indicated she was probably upside-down in the pile somehow.

“Perona! Wake up!” she ordered firmly.

Immediately the pink haired girl flailed around in her pile of stuffed animals trying and failing to extract herself from them. Unfortunately Perona’s stuffed animals were a bit different than normal ones, some of them contained “personalities” from her magic, and more than a few were refusing to let go. One of her favorites, an enormous bear named Kumashi was particularly stubborn in his clinging.

When Perona finally got free she glared balefully at the other eight girls who were laughing hysterically. Alvida was holding her phone out, trying to keep the recording still as she cracked up.

“That was so not cute you guys!” Perona whined unhappily, “Why are you waking me up anyway?”

“Because you’ve got…” (name) paused and glanced at her phone, “T minus twenty minutes to get ready before we’re supposed to go meet the warlocks from yesterday.”

“What!” Perona yipped unhappily, “Why didn’t you wake me sooner? I can’t get ready in twenty minutes! I need to shower!”

“Because while I’m your Coven leader I’m not your mother, you should’ve set an alarm like the rest of us, now, the more time you stand here whining about it the less time you have, best get going,” (name) pointed out amused.

Perona squeaked and dashed off as the rest of the girls filed back out to the living room.

“You know for not being her mother you sounded an awful lot like Bellemere there for a second,” Nojiko informed her with a smirk.

“Please, I don’t hold a candle to that woman and you know it,” (name) informed her with a laugh, “Though I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You would,” Nojiko snorted in amusement.

“What’s so funny?” an obviously grumpy Nami asked the still giggling group as she leaned against the door jam. She like the rest of them had chosen sensible attire, jeans and t-shirt. Her hair was up for once in a simple half-ponytail.

“Nothing Nami don’t worry about it,” Nojiko brushed off amused.

Nami rolled her eyes but went back to quietly leaning her head on the door jam with her eyes closed as they waited for Perona.

…~oO*Oo~…

“Straw hat~ya why am I here?” Law demanded tiredly. It was their last free day before classes and he’d been up late dealing with Penguin and Shachi whining about being turned to stone by the Hancock Witch. The last thing he’d wanted was to be woken by his ally pounding away at his door and refusing to go away until he answered.

“To meet our new friends Torao,” Luffy informed him firmly a pleased smile on his face as he bounced lightly on his toes. 

“More allies?” Law asked with an annoyed frown, “I thought you weren’t going to add anymore without running it by me first.”

“Not allies,” Luffy insisted firmly, “Friends!”

Law heaved a sigh, but didn’t argue further, by now he knew the futility of trying to convince the straw hatted teen that allies and friends were different things altogether. He knew better by now.

He’d actually approached Luffy about being allies during his eighth year of schooling and Luffy’s third, when it became obvious that despite his carefree demeanor the kid was strong as hell and unlikely to stab him in the back. Luffy had accepted readily enough, he’d already had his group of friends then, and was steadily rising through the ranks of the school.

Unfortunately his new ally hadn’t understood there was a difference between “ally” and “friend”, which he’d found out the hard way. He had not intention of letting anyone else that close to him then, but once Luffy had latched on to the idea they were friends he wouldn’t let go. He found Law everyday not matter where he was, just to stop and say hi, drag him around or force him into things.

He’d quite resented the other Warlock then, and deeply regretted ever asking to be allies, especially since he always seemed to be dragging Law away from his important studies and projects, but slowly the resentment had faded, and turned into resignation.

Then Luffy had actually managed to save his life, nearly losing his own in the process, in a situation where Law would’ve thought he’d be abandoned. After all the situation had been so far out of what he’d been prepared for, that the terms of the alliance he’d offered hadn’t even come close to covering what had actually happened. He’d been preparing himself to be left behind and die for his carelessness.

However, apparently that wasn’t Luffy’s way. Law had learned that day that he was extraordinarily loyal to all he considered ‘friends’. After that Law had stopped bothering to correct him about the status of their alliance, resigning himself to the gratitude and fondness he felt for the other Warlock, and even a hint of admiration, though he was loath to admit that part.

“So who are these friends then?” Law asked hoping against hope it wouldn’t be who he was thinking it might be.

“That would be us,” a new voice interrupted from a doorway down the hall, and he turned to watch as a group of witches filed out of the room, ten of them in total. The speaker was the one in front, the one with the strange pink eyes, who was the obvious leader of the group.

“(Name!) you’re here!” Luffy greeted excitedly bouncing down their shared hallway, away from Law’s door, which he’d been standing at as he informed him of their new friends. 

Well it was witches, but at least it wasn’t that Hancock Witch, which is what he had been more or less expecting, considering Luffy’s track record. He would not have been happy if it had been.

“Good morning Luffy,” the one called (name) greeted with an amused smile, though her eyes looked tired, “Are you and the others ready to go to lunch then?”

“Yes! Food!” Luffy agreed cheerfully.

“Where are your friends?” Nami asked surprised only to jump in surprise as a blond tornado whirled its way out of one of the doors in the hallway.

“Here I am beautiful Nami-swan!” Sanji greeted, coming to a stop next to her and beaming up with love struck eyes.

“Ugh cook will you knock it off? It’s too early for that shit,” Zoro groaned as he slowly slouched his way out of the door as well.

“Shut up marimo! It’s never too early in the day for love,” Sanji snapped in annoyance.

Law sighed and blocked them out, too used to their squabbling to pay it any attention as he turned his gaze back on to the witches, inspecting them one by one. They all looked exhausted, which was strange, they had seemed relatively fine when they arrived yesterday. His eyes narrowed in suspicion wondering what they could’ve gotten up to in that time that would’ve drained them so badly.

“Luffy who’s this?” (name) asked gesturing towards Law.

“Ah! This is my friend Tarao, Tarao these are our new friends, umm,” Luffy hesitated as he apparently realized he knew none of the names outside of the one Witch he’d greeted initially.

“You don’t remember do you Lu?” a new voice asked amused. 

Law tried to hold in a sigh of exasperation but was unsuccessful as Portgas D. Ace made his presence known. He still remembered the talk the other Warlock had forced on him when he’d realized that Law had offered to be allies with Luffy. Both he and the other one Sabo had sat him down and proceeded to threaten him within an inch of his life, warning him that if anything happened to Luffy because of him or their new alliance he was dead a thousand times over.

Needless to say Law hadn’t been pleased, and they hadn’t gotten along any better since then. The three of them generally tolerated each other, but nothing more than that.

“Are we still heading for lunch ~yoi?” Marco the Phoenix chimed in exasperation tingeing his voice, “If so let’s go and stop clogging up the hallway.”

“Alright food!” Luffy cheered enthusiastically, and before Law could even think to protest or shut the door to create a barrier between himself and the whirlwind that was his ally, he was being dragged along down the hallway. Behind him he watched as Penguin who’d been standing behind him, gave him a pitying wave and shut the door not bothering to follow.

His group liked Luffy’s well enough but tended to try to avoid as much of his madness as they could. He couldn’t blame them, he would’ve liked to do the same, unfortunately that wasn’t an option for him.

“Did you sleep well last night ladies?” Thatch asked cheerfully, and Law quickly became aware that apparently all of Whitebeard’s sons at their school would apparently be accompanying them.

“We did,” one of the witches responded a smirk dancing on her lips, “Some of us better than others.”

Snickers and giggles echoed around the group of women, though two of them, a girl with long pink hair, and one with bright orange, looked less than amused.

“So your name is Tarao?” name asked as she managed to edge her way through the group up beside him as he was dragged along by Luffy.

“No!” he hissed in annoyance, “My name is Trafalgar, Tra-fal-gar, but this idiot can’t or won’t pronounce it correctly and refuses to call me by my first name, which is Law.”

“That’s because Law is a silly name,” Luffy informed him apparently listening in, “And I like Tarao better.”

(Name) snickered and Law scowled in annoyance, not appreciating being laughed at on top of everything else, especially since he hadn’t even gotten to have a cup of coffee yet before Luffy came knocking at his door.

“Well as you know I’m (name), and that’s Nami, Alvida, Nojiko, Kaya, Caimie, Perona, Robin, Koala and Vivi,” she told him indicating each one in turn, who all nodded or waved in acknowledgement.

“Are you one of Luffy’s al-friends?” she corrected herself, apparently she too had been coerced on to the ally-friend misnomer.

“I am,” he agreed with a sigh, “Regretfully.”

“Come on Traffy it’s not that bad,” Luffy laughed brightly, and Law rolled his eyes at the appearance of another of his nicknames. He would beg to differ but Luffy would either ignore it or steamroller right over him again.

“I guess the better question is, should I consider you my friend as well,” the Coven leader asked with slightly narrowed eyes.

“Of course you should,” Luffy interrupted before Law could say anything, “All of my friends should be friends with each other.”

“Lu,” Portgas scolded gently, “You can’t just decide that for people, this really should be between Law and (name).”

Law would never understand how both Portgas and Sabo could treat their brother like a child one moment and an adult the next, their relationship was a strange one, that was for sure.

“But Tarao is good, and (name) is good, and I really think they’d be good together,” Luffy whined unhappily.

There were some snorts of amusement from around the group and Law scowled fiercely, knowing that Luffy wasn’t actually insinuating that he was trying to set them up together, but that it was what it had sounded like.

“I wouldn’t be opposed to an alliance with someone Luffy is all-friends with,” (name) said slowly, “Perhaps though we should take the wait and see method. We’re all going to be sparring on Saturday, perhaps you’d like to join in?”

“Sparring?” Law asked interested.

“Yes, Ace challenged me to a spar, and we decided it would be good for the others in my Coven to find sparring partners as well, however we’re short one person,” she explained, “You could either be that person or come simply to watch me kick Ace’s ass either way.”

“Oy! The one whose ass is getting kicked is you!” Firefist threatened, though the grin on his face was good natured, nothing like the threatening toothy smiles he’d used when telling Law all about how he was going to roast him alive if something happened to Luffy.

“We’ll see,” she retorted, though Law could see the fire burning behind her eyes, and it intrigued him.

“I’ll spar,” he found himself volunteering before he could stop himself.

“Excellent,” she agreed with a cheerful smile, “That means we’re all set for Saturday, just need a time and a place.”

“I’m on it, don’t worry about it,” Firefist told her with a cheerfully.

“Alright then,” she agreed, and slipped away to speak to Marco the Phoenix. He found himself watching her, wondering just what kind of person could challenge one of Whitebeard’s strongest sons without a hint of trepidation. She was either very confident or extremely stupid. Knowing Luffy, and knowing Luffy had chosen her as an ally it was likely to be a combination of the two.

Still as the group entered the dining hall and began to eat he found himself watching her, her and the rest of her group analyzing the way they talked, and interacted both amongst themselves and with the other Warlocks at the table.

Sipping his cup of coffee he watched as she easily kept conversation going between herself, Firefist and the Phoenix, with occasional input from the orange haired woman Nami, who was simultaneously eating and ordering Sanji around.

The one called Alvida looked to be deep in conversation with Diamond Jozu about weaponry, while the pink haired Perona appeared to be harassing Zoro, something about uncute?

The ones called Nojiko, Koala and Robin were all chatting with Izo, Thatch and Franky about something or another to do with building and interior design, while Caimie and Vivi chatted with Brook and Luffy about the school and about music and emotion. Luffy wasn’t contributing much other than the occasional praise of Brook’s musical skills, but from the smile on his face he was more than happy to just listen for once.

Law probably would’ve kept observing, but he found himself quickly caught up in conversation with Chopper and Kaya about different medicinal practices. The other two healers had more in common, focusing on herbs, potions and medicines than he did as a surgeon, but they made sure to include him in their conversation and asked some interesting questions.

Inadvertently he found himself relaxing into the peaceful atmosphere of the group, caught up in their rhythm the same way Luffy had caught him up in his rhythm years ago. This might not be as bad as he thought it was going to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys so here's the thing, this story is officially giving me fits when I'm trying to write it, and I think people can tell, as it's nowhere near as popular as the others. I talked it over with a couple people who follow me over on Tumblr and decided as of either this chapter, or the next ~~if I can squeeze one more out because I hate leaving things at certain numbers cuz I'm a weirdo~~ that this story is officially going on hiatus to give me time to work on other things that don't make me agonize over them, like the two soulmate fics I started, or the many, many other plot bunnies I have sitting on my desktop begging for attention.   
>  I'm really sorry if this fic was a favorite, and I can't promise anything, but maybe someday if inspiration strikes I can come back to it. Sorry again!


End file.
